


Fighting the Friend Zone

by ItsLevisBitch



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Anal Sex, Background Relationships, Blindfolds, Blow Jobs, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Angst, Grinding, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Masturbation, Minor Eren/Reiner, Minor Erwin Smith/Eren Yeager, Mostly Fluff, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV First Person, Panty Kink, Past Eren/Armin - Freeform, Pining Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Rimming, Slow Build, Smut, Switching, Teenage Levi, stupid angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-05
Updated: 2016-12-03
Packaged: 2018-07-29 13:17:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 90,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7685998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsLevisBitch/pseuds/ItsLevisBitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren is Levi’s first friend, and he’s content with that. Except, he’s not. High school hits and he decides that its definitely not enough anymore. Will he be able to confess his feelings, or will he have to watch Eren find someone else?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. We are Gonna be Friends

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy my third horribly cliché plot. Starts out with a flashback, then we have the present which is in first person. The rest of the story will be first person as well. Per the usual with my fics, prepare for a slow build and fluff. I write for fun, after all. There will be smut, but not for a while, which is why the rating is E.

“Come on Levi, at least go out and meet them. The girl will be in your class,” Kenny Ackerman, Levi’s uncle, called to him.

Levi sat in his room, arms crossed refusing to leave. He was ten years old and already showing signs of being antisocial. He had been informed that a new family had moved in down the street from him. They had one boy and a girl; the girl being his age and the boy a year younger. Levi had no want to go and meet them; he didn’t need friends and was adamant it was staying that way.

“No, I’m fine here,” he stated.

Kenny sighed and shook his head. “Seriously Levi, you’re going to meet them eventually, better get it over with now.”

The boy groaned loudly, but got up anyway. He followed his uncle through the small house and eventually out the door. After locking up, Kenny nudged him to keep walking and they made their way down the street. Levi grumbled to himself the whole walk.

The house was only a few minutes down the street. Levi stared at the red brick house, wondering what kind of people would live there. The girl was probably stuck up and the boy an idiot. At least he would only have to deal with the girl on a daily basis; if they boy was younger, he would probably never see him during the day.

Kenny walked up to the door and knocked twice. Levi stood behind him, not out of fear, but just not wanting to be there. He heard light footsteps coming from the house. The door opened and revealed a beautiful woman with long, dark hair and bright green eyes. She smiled sweetly at both of them.

“Can I help you?” she asked in a feminine voice.

“Sorry if we’re bothering you, we live down the street. I’m Kenny Ackerman and this is my nephew, Levi.” He gestured behind him, and Levi reluctantly stood beside him.

The woman smiled at him. “It’s great to meet you both. I’m Carla Jaeger. I actually have two children that might be around Levi’s age.”

“Levi is ten,” Kenny answered for him. Levi glared at him, not appreciating his uncle giving out his information.

Carla smiled wider. “That’s great, Mikasa is ten and Eren is nine. Would you two like to come in for a while?” she asked politely.

Levi looked at Kenny and screamed for him to say no, but he merely smiled and accepted her offer. Carla seemed nice enough, but he was seriously dreading meeting the two kids.

He walked in and found their home to be small, but comfortable. The hardwood floor and white tables made it appear as if there was more room then there really was. To the right was a small television room equipped with a large green couch and two arm chairs beside. Carla walked over to the room and motioned for them to take a seat. Kenny sat down on the couch, and Levi chose to sit beside him, but not too close. Kenny chuckled quietly at his actions.

“If it’s alright with you two, I’ll go get Eren and Mikasa. My husband Grisha isn’t home yet, but you can still meet the kids.”

“That would be fine,” Kenny answered. “Right Levi?”

Levi scowled at him, but answered “Fine” anyway.

Carla beamed at them once again and got up, apparently to fetch her children. It was a small house, so it didn’t take her long to return with two children. The girl was the first one Levi noticed. Her hair was jet black, not unlike his own, and kept long. Her features were Asian, which made him assume she was either adopted or at least had a different parent. Her face didn’t give away anything about how she was reacting to Levi; she was passive and controlled.

Then, Levi spotted the boy.

His hair was a chocolate color and messily splayed all over his head. It hung down into his face, almost to his eyes. They were blue, no, maybe green? Levi couldn’t really tell, but they were the most exotic eyes he had ever seen. He concluded that the boy and the girl were definitely not full blooded siblings. Unlike his sister, his face was full of emotion. He was furrowing his brow, staring expectedly at Levi as if asking him who he was with his eyes.

Levi wasn’t sure why, but he was compelled to talk to the taller boy (He felt himself get slightly angry at the fact that even though the boy was younger than him, he was still taller.) He had never really wanted to talk to anyone, let alone someone around his age.

“Mikasa, Eren, this is Mr. Ackerman and his nephew, Levi. They live down the street and Levi will be in your grade, Mikasa. “

Mikasa narrowed her eyes at Levi sizing him up. “He looks too small to be in our grade.”

Carla looked down, horrified at her daughter. Kenny tried to hide his laugh behind his hand, much to Levi’s annoyance. Levi would normally be offended at a comment at his height, but the girl had said it more like a fact than an insult, so he simply clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes.

“I-I’m sorry Levi, Mikasa didn’t mean anything by it,” Carla hurriedly said.

“Its fine,” Levi replied coolly. He didn’t really have much interest in the girl, instead he found himself watching her brother. He too looked shocked at his sister’s statement, but had stayed quiet through the exchange.

“Well Carla, we just wanted to stop by, so we should probably be going now,” Kenny said politely while standing up from his seat.

“W-wait!” Eren called, gaining the attention of everyone else in the room. He had locked eyes with Levi and was nervously clutching the hem of his shirt. “Um, maybe Levi could stay for a while?”

Carla looked down at her son, confusion clear in her eyes. She was perceptive, and had caught onto the fact that the smaller boy was not exactly thrilled with meeting them all at once. “Eren, I’m not sure if Levi would be comfortable with that.”

Kenny snorted, clearly amused at Levi’s apparent discomfort. Oddly enough, Levi didn’t find the idea of being around the other boy completely revolting. Sure the sister seemed a lot less inviting, but he could deal with her. He saw Eren eyeing him, hope shining through his eyes. He couldn’t exactly say no to that look.

“If it’s okay with you Mrs. Jaeger, I’m fine with it,” Levi said.

If Kenny had been drinking something, he surely would have choked on it. His eyes shot down to Levi and were widened to comical proportions. “Levi, are you serious?” he asked quietly.

Levi shrugged and looked back at Carla. She was smiling sweetly. “Of course it’s alright with me.”

Eren hugged his mother tightly. “Thanks mom!” Mikasa huffed at her brother’s childish behavior.

“Aren’t you going to ask me if you can stay?” Kenny asked, voice full of amusement.

“Nope,” Levi replied while striding across the room. Eren grabbed onto his wrist and started pulling him out of the living room. “I’m going to show Levi my room, Mom!” He yelled after her. She chuckled and shook her head.

Mikasa followed after them, although much slower. Levi let himself be led by the energetic boy down the hallway. He turned to the left swiftly and dropped Levi’s wrist. “This is my room, “he stated proudly. He opened the door and walked in, closing the door after Levi had walked in, shutting his sister out.

He looked around at the small room. Nothing stood out much; there was a tiny twin bed in the corner with blue sheets, a desk directly across from it, and some shelves stacked up against the wall. Levi assumed if they had just moved in then they had only unpacked the bare essentials, or this kid didn’t have much personal stuff.

Eren must have sensed his scrutiny, as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck and laughed. “Our family moves around a lot so I don’t have a lot. But my mom said this is the last move for a while,” he said.

“I never really liked clutter anyway,” Levi responded honestly.

Eren grinned at him, the awkwardness gone from his posture. “You know in some ways you kind of remind me of my sister.”

Levi scoffed and glared at Eren. “I had a feeling she was stuck up before I came over. Looks like I was right.”

Eren laughed loudly and sat down on his bed. Levi stayed standing by the door, leaning against it slightly.

“She comes off that way, but she gets better,” Eren said.

There was a pause in their conversation, both boys simply enjoying each other’s company. Eren had sat back on the bed and was now looking up at the ceiling, while Levi was content observing the turquoise eyed boy. He didn’t feel uncomfortable or strange around Eren. Being himself was easy, which was completely foreign to him.

“Hey Levi?” Eren asked, breaking the silence.

“Hm?”

“Why did your uncle seem so surprised when you agreed to stay here?”

Levi opened his mouth the deny it, but Kenny had made it fairly obvious. He took a deep breath and walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge of it. “Because I like to be alone.”

“Then why did you say yes?”

Levi scrunched his eyebrows, pondering the question. Honestly, he wasn’t really sure himself. He just felt comfortable around Eren. “I don’t know,” he said simply.

He heard rustling behind him, so he turned around to look at Eren. He was propped up on his elbows, looking at him with curiosity. “Want to lay down with me?”

His first instinct was to say no, but the pleading look he was receiving made him lean back on the bed, Eren following after. And they sat there, side by side staring at the white ceiling of Eren’s bedroom. Levi didn’t know why he felt more at ease then he had in ages, but he didn’t dare question it now. The brunet beside him made him feel at home, and that’s all he cared about.

“Levi,” Eren called, once again breaking the comfortable silence.

Levi huffed and turned his head, meeting the bright eyes of his new neighbor. “What?”

“You’re kind of strange,” Eren said, but with no malice in his words.

Levi felt himself smile slightly. “I know.”

Eren full on grinned now. “Want to be friends, Levi?”

Levi turned over and looked back up at the ceiling. _Friend, huh?_ He had never really had a friend before. But all he knew was the answer was easy. “Yeah, Eren.”

_Seven years later_

I rolled over in my bed, remembering the day like it had just happened. That fucking kid had so easily invaded my life it was almost pathetic. But Eren Jaeger did become my first friend, as much as I tried to deny it. School started and we just naturally gravitated towards each other. His sister was still a dick, but when she found out Eren and I were on good terms, she softened up a bit. Not that I cared; as long as Eren was okay with me, I was fine.

A lot changed since then. The biggest being that Eren and Mikasa’s mom died a few years after I met her. It was a car accident, and I’d never seen a family so broken up. Even I had grown to like Carla; she had treated me like her own. Eren’s dad Grisha came home from wherever the hell he was working as a doctor for the funeral, but was almost never around after that. Eren never seemed to blame him, though. He was always working oversees, doing charity work and whatever else. Eren always told me that his dad could never move on from his mother’s death, and seeing him and Mikasa only reminded him of that fact. The siblings spent a considerable amount of time at my place since they really didn’t have a guardian. We grew closer, and soon enough, Eren and I were best friends.

My family wasn’t around either, except for Kenny. I never knew my father and mother; they were never married from what I’d been told by Kenny, and certainly didn’t want a kid. My father split and my mother couldn’t handle raising a child after only a few years, leaving me with Kenny. I haven’t seen either since, and don’t expect to ever again. All things considered, he wasn’t a bad guardian. He didn’t know what to do with me most of the time, but we got along alright.

One thing that hadn’t changed? My fucking height. As a senior in high school, I stood at five foot three. I may be short, but my “I’ll fuck you up” glare keeps almost everyone at bay, which is probably why I only had about four friends outside of Eren and Mikasa. I didn’t do organized sports, but I’ve taken MMA classes outside of school since I was about twelve and it definitely shows in my physique. I didn’t have an abundance of friends, but that’s the way I liked it. The friends I did manage to make are worth ten random strangers at school.

Somehow, I managed to become friends with Hanji Zoe. Eccentric doesn’t even begin to explain her. She’s obsessed with science and all things related to it. Ask her what her favorite element is and she’ll talk to you for literally hours. She’s loud, obnoxious, and occasionally pretty fucking fun to be around. She also doesn’t give a shit about what anyone else thinks, which is one of the reasons I consider her one of my favorite people. I’d just never tell her that.

Erwin Smith is my other good friend. He’s pretty much Captain America. Tall, blonde, muscular, you get the idea. Oh, except he has these fucking caterpillars for eyebrows. Anyway, he’s senior class president along with a fuck ton of other things. Girls swoon over him, which is pretty hilarious considering he’s one gay motherfucker. Erwin’s smart, almost too smart sometimes, and arguably the most normal out of our friend group. That’s really not saying much.

There’s a few others I consider to be my friends, including Petra Ral. A lot of people think she has a thing for me, but I think it’s more of a weird hero worship type of deal. Anyway, a guy named Auruo, who is practically in love with her. He tries to act like me, even goes as far as getting the same haircut, but she doesn’t seem to notice him.

Eren is a different story. He was tall and lanky as a kid, but filled in nicely. He wasn’t so tall it was distracting, but not short, either. He gets endless enjoyment over the fact that he has a good seven inches on me, though.  He’s an athlete- track and swimming- so he keeps himself in shape. He’s one of the best on the team, actually.  And of course he still has those insanely bright eyes and brown hair.

People are drawn towards the kid. He’s a grade lower than me, so we have much different friend groups. Besides me, his best friend is a little blonde kid that reminds me of a mushroom named Armin. He’s actually tolerable as far as teenagers go. He’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, even rivaling Erwin. Eren also has this one “friend” named Jean who he’s always fighting with. I’ve hated Jean since he was a freshman and decided punching Eren was a good idea. That put him on my shit list for life. Luckily, after I confronted him about it they never had problems physically again. Eren informed me later that I almost literally scared the shit out of him. Nice.

 Eren’s got about ten other friends who I barely remember the names of. He’s the type of person who people just want to be around. Mikasa is also dating a senior girl named Annie who’s about as likable as I am, so I guess they make sense together. She and I have a mutual respect over our need to keep Eren safe. After the Jean incident, she began to look at my differently.

Even though Eren and I both developed new friendships and interests, we never grew apart. Every day after school, we’d walk back to his house or mine and hang out. Sometimes we’d watch TV, play video games, or just sit on his bed and stare at the ceiling like we did when we were kids. When Armin and he became close, he brought him along, but made sure to save days for just us to be together. Somehow my shit jokes and abrasive personality hadn’t scared him off. So I guess in some ways, not much had changed. Oh, I guess there is this one thing.

Sometime along the years, I found myself in love with Eren Jaeger.

I honestly couldn’t tell you when or how it happened, but it did. I didn’t even know I was attracted to guys, all I knew is that from the day I met that little shit something changed in me. I wasn’t the fucked up kid who sat by himself in the corner anymore. I had and still have a shit ton of issues, but Eren made me realize there are still people out there worth trying for. God, he was one of them. Everything about Eren made me want to protect him, make him happy and just fucking be around him. I was closed off and distant to everyone but him. Not even Hanji and Erwin truly got to see that side of me.

He doesn’t know. No one knows, although Hanji has her suspicions. And surely Eren doesn’t feel the same. He’d dated around a bit, but nothing serious. He’d only dated girls, but he’d never explicitly stated he was straight. Still, every time I’d see him holding some girls hand or smiling at a guy, I’d feel a surge of jealousy rush through me. I knew Eren wasn’t mine, and he never would be. He’s my best friend, and even though I wanted more, I wouldn’t give that up for the world. Losing him out of my life isn’t an option for me, so I never said anything. God, if Mikasa found out I’d be dead on the spot.

Tomorrow I start my first day as a senior, and Eren as a junior. We’d already agreed to meet up and go together, partly because I can drive to school and he can’t, but also because we’ve done it every year since seventh grade. This was my last year to be in the same school as Eren. My last year at Trost High, then I’d be off to some university, away from Eren.  One more year of repressing my feelings, then I could move on and let Eren live his life however he wanted.

If only things were ever that simple.


	2. First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First day of school arrives. Erwin appears, pissing Levi off to no end. Petra’s also in there somewhere.

I sat up in my bed waiting for my alarm to go off signaling it was time for me to get up. I always got up a few minutes before my alarm, but set it anyway. The only reason I felt like getting up was the fact I got to see Eren.

I heard the familiar ringing of my phone alarm and turned over to turn it off. I unlocked the screen, rolling my eyes at the seven texts I’d already received from Hanji. I didn’t even bother reading them, only scrolling through to make sure she hadn’t set her room on fire again.

I paused and saw that in addition to her texts, there was a single one from Eren. He was saved under “My Bright Eyed Brat.” I had a lock on my phone and never gave away the password, so I figured I could indulge myself a little. I wonder what my name is in his phone. I was surprised that he was already awake, but I guessed it was Mikasa’s doing.

_From: My Bright Eyed Brat_

_Can’t believe this is the last time we’ll start school together_ _L_

My heart ached at his text. This really was it- the last time I’d wake up in my childhood home, drive over to Eren’s and start our first day together. It shouldn’t hurt me as much as it did. I should react the same way I did to everyone else and shrug it off like it was nothing. But it was something. Eren was something.

_To: My Bright Eyed Brat_

_Try not to cry_

I locked my phone and set it aside. I got up and stretched, running my hands through my hair as I did so. I already have my routine down; it hadn’t changed since I started driving myself to school. Get up, shower, eat a small breakfast or just skip it, then pick up Eren and Mikasa.

I grabbed some clothes from my closet and made my way to the bathroom. I quickly showered, but made sure every inch of myself was clean. Hanji thinks I have OCD, but I really just prefer to be clean at all times. I also really fucking enjoy cleaning. I found that something so mundane and simple relaxed me, and I got to live in a clean environment after, so it worked for me.

I got done with my shower and stepped out into my room. I picked out a plain black t-shirt and a dark wash pair of jeans and my favorite pair of black combat boots. I never really put much thought into my appearance, but I always made sure I looked decent.

I walked down into my kitchen and saw Kenny sitting at the kitchen island drinking a cup of coffee. Kenny’s work usually kept him away from home for long periods of time, and one thing I didn’t miss when he is actually home is having to interact with others before I leave the house.

I walked past him without saying anything before he looked up at me.

“You picking up the Jaeger’s?” He asked me.

“Why wouldn’t I?” I replied while starting to make myself a cup of coffee. I was always blunt and rude, but in the mornings before I could see Eren, my bad mood was usually intensified. Kenny had learned this and thankfully kept his inquiries to a minimum in the morning and never took anything I said personally.

“Just checking. You’d think Dr. Jaeger would buy his kids a car.” 

I tensed at the mention of Eren’s father. After Carla had died, he was barely even around. All the emotional shit the siblings had to go through and the bastard couldn’t even leave work long enough to see his kids.

“Well he is an asshole,” I replied.

“Do you at least try and watch your language around me?”

“I do try. I just fail,” I said while pouring my coffee into a mug to take with me. Kenny merely shrugged and went back to reading something on his phone. I checked the time and saw I still had five minutes until I should leave to get the siblings, but I decided being early was better than sitting here insulting Kenny. “I’m leaving,” I stated while grabbing my book bag from the counter and walking towards the door. Kenny wished me luck or something of that sort, I wasn’t really listening.

I closed the door behind me and walked out into the brisk September air. I probably should have grabbed a jacket, but I sure as hell wasn’t going back in there now. I walked out to our small one car driveway and grabbed my keys from my pocket, unlocking my black 2012 Mustang. I wasn’t sure how Kenny had afforded it, honestly I wasn’t even sure what he did for a living, but on my sixteenth birthday it had been sitting in the driveway. It may have been the only time I genuinely smiled at Kenny.

I opened the door and climbed into the driver’s seat, immediately starting the engine and relaxing at the low hum of the engine. I backed out of our house and started the two-minute drive to Eren’s. I told him it would be easier if he and his sister walked over to my place, but he insisted that I pick them up.  

I pulled up to the red brick home I had spent so many days at and stopped the car. I honked loudly, not willing to get back out into the chilly air.

A few minutes later, I saw the door open and the familiar mop of brown hair sprung into view. He wore a gray long sleeve sweater that hung low around his neck, exposing his tan skin. His dark jeans fit his frame perfectly. He wore the same black pair of Converse since freshman year, and refused to buy new ones.  His eyes sought out mine, and when they found them I felt my heart speed up. A smile threatened to make its way onto my face, but I held it back once Mikasa came into view. She was dressed in a black skirt with black leggings underneath and a cardigan wrapped around her. As usual, she wore the red scarf Eren had given to her after their mother had died.

Mikasa walked up to my car first, already knowing she would sit in the back. She opened the door and climbed in, only nodding at me. I tilted my head back at her. That was our usual greeting. There weren’t any hard feelings anymore, we only understood each other. Eren had both of their book bags in his hands, and he walked to my trunk to place them.

Eren climbed in after her, jumping into the passenger seat. “Morning, Levi,” he said groggily. Eren never really was a morning person. He laid his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes. I let my eyes wander to the exposed skin on his chest, but didn’t let my gaze linger long.

“Moring, brat,” I replied in my usual monotone voice. I pulled away from the curb and began driving us to Trost high.

“I’m only a year younger than you, I still don’t understand why you call me that,” Eren replied.

“I’ll stop calling you it when you stop acting like one,” I said, smirking at him.

He groaned loudly and covered his face with his hands. I noticed how his sweater was a little too long for his arms and the sleeves came half way up his palms. He was too cute sometimes.

“He has a point, Eren,” Mikasa said from the back.

Eren ripped his hands away from his face and turned to face his sister, shock evident on his face. “What the hell! What have I ever done to deserve the nickname ‘brat’?”

“What about the time you accidentally locked Armin in the closet and couldn’t find the key?” I offered.

“Or the time you and Jean almost got caught breaking and entering into the school that one night?” Mikasa said.

“We could go on, Eren,” I said.

He crossed his arms over his chest and looked out the window, pouting. I looked into the rear view mirror and made eye contact with Mikasa. A small smile graced her beautiful features, but she hid it by pulling up her scarf.

“I hate you both,” Eren said.

“No, you just hate that we’re right,” I said without taking my eyes off the road.

“I miss when you two hated each other,” Eren commented. “At least then I only had to deal with you guys one at a time.”

Mikasa leaned forward, setting her elbows on the center console of the car and held her head on her hands. “Why don’t I ever get to sit in the front, Levi?” She asked, changing the subject.

 “Because I like Eren better,” I answered honestly. A triumphant smile crossed Eren’s face. Mikasa huffed at me and leaned forward.

“You like Eren a lot better than everyone,” she grumbled, loud enough for only me to hear. I clenched my jaw but refused to look at her. I didn’t think she knew how far my feelings for Eren went, but she had always been jealous of our closeness. I wouldn’t be surprised if she knew I had a thing for him, but I doubted she believed I actually loved him.  Mikasa was extremely protective of her brother after Carla died, and I appreciated it, but she could get too carried away sometimes. I didn’t like to admit it, but we really are similar. She sat back in her seat and looked out the window.

Eren shuffled around in his seat. The kid never could stay still for long. The drive was barely ten minutes but I swear he shifted positions at least twelve times.

“Hey Levi?” he asked. Another thing about Eren; he never liked silence. Usually this was a trait I despised, but I never minded hearing Eren talk. His voice was smooth and instantly relaxed me.

“Hm?”

“Can I drive tomorrow?” He asked with a grin.

“Hell no, “ I replied instantly.

“I agree with Levi,” Mikasa added.

Eren flung his hands up. “See! You two always agree now. “

I chuckled at his display and continued driving. I saw the familiar building coming up in the distance. Trost High was a large public high school in the center of town. As far as schools went it was about as shitty as everywhere else. There wasn’t anything special about it.

I pulled into the student parking lot and took my usual space in front of the school. We weren’t particularly early, but it was always open. Everyone knew it was my spot. Hanji had taken it once and that resulted with her car being towed. It cost me a shit ton of money, but it was worth it to see the look on her face.

I turned off the car and opened my door. Once again, I cursed myself for forgetting a jacket as the cool air pelted my skin. September wasn’t supposed to be this damn cold. Eren helped Mikasa get out from the back, then ran around to the trunk to grab their things. I grabbed my book bag from the back seat and slammed my door shut.

Eren came around to walk by me, his book bag slung over one of his shoulders. Mikasa followed, looking as bored as ever. I started to walk up the steps of our school, watching as Eren walked right beside me with Mikasa trailing behind us. I figured she was looking for Annie.

I shivered slightly at the cold air, but it didn’t go unnoticed by Eren. “You forget your jacket?” he asked with a concerned tone.

“Obviously,” I replied.

He rolled his eyes at me, then threw his arm over my shoulder. I tensed at the contact, warmth flooding over my shoulders where his arm lay. He pulled me closer into him and pressed his side against mine. “That better?” he asked with a smile.

That was much fucking better. Physical contact was something I definitely wasn’t comfortable with, unless it was Eren. “Yeah,” is all I said in reply.

“You sure you didn’t forget it on purpose?” Mikasa whispered to me. Okay, maybe she did know more than she was letting on. I shoved her aside, earning me a confused look from Eren. He kept his arm wrapped snugly around me even as we stepped into the doors to our school. It was pretty common knowledge that Eren, Mikasa and I grew up together and were very close, so this kind of thing wasn’t unusual for us.

“I’m going to go and find Annie, “Mikasa said abruptly. “Will you be alright, Eren?”

Eren groaned and rolled his eyes dramatically. “We are literally two hallways away from each other, I’ll be fine.”

Mikasa nodded, then turned away from us without any other conversation. I felt Eren’s arm slip from around me, and I immediately missed his warm skin on mine. I knew I should be following Mikasa and getting myself settled in my locker, but I didn’t want to leave Eren just yet.

“Shouldn’t you go and get your stuff together?” he asked me.

“I’m trying to avoid Hanji for as long as I can,” I answered. It wasn’t exactly a lie, but I still wanted to walk him to his locker. Of course I’d never tell him that.

Eren laughed. “I completely understand that. Honestly I can’t believe you two are friends,” he said as he continued walking past the hallway and further down to the junior lockers.

“What can I say, I liked Erwin and for some fucking reason he was friends with her.”

Eren hummed in response. “Erwin seems cool.”

I sighed loudly. Eren always tried to get me to bring Hanji and Erwin with me whenever I hung out with him, but I refused almost every time. Hanji and Eren would probably get along, but I’m afraid if she sees me around him she’ll realize my feelings. Hanji had this annoying habit of reading me like a book and it never ceased to amaze me.

Erwin on the other hand was a different story. On Eren’s first day of high school, he asked me to introduce him to the friends I had made since he didn’t know anyone but me and his sister. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to introduce Erwin since he was a relatively normal guy. As soon as Eren came into view, I saw Erwin’s eyes light up. Not many people could tell when he was interested in someone, but it was glaringly obvious to Hanji and I. Erwin doesn’t know I also swing for the other team (at least for Eren), and sure as fuck didn’t have a problem coming onto him. Every time he’s around Eren he casually touches him and compliments him, and it pisses me off to no end. As far as I could tell, Eren was oblivious to Erwin’s advances.

“He’s not,” I answered.

Eren frowned, but dropped the subject. We were nearing his hallway, and I heard the familiar voice of a certain horse faced asshole coming from the hallway. “It’s too early for your yelling,” Eren said to him.

“Jaeger! I haven’t seen you lately, still glued to that short dick?” Jean said, not bothering to look around enough to see I was standing close behind Eren.

Eren’s eyes widened in shock and looked back to me. “You just fucked up,” Eren said quietly.

Jean slammed his locker shut and turned towards us. When his eyes landed on me, they widened in horror. He looked from Eren as though he could possible help him out of this shit. Eren shrugged, then slapped him on the shoulder. “Good luck, Jean. I’m, going to find my locker.”

Jean looked at Eren like he had betrayed him as he turned away and gave me a wave before going over and greeting Armin who was busy organizing his locker.

 “Uh, hey Levi,” he said weakly once we were along together.

I wasn’t really that angry at him for the comment to be honest, but it was fun watching him squirm under my gaze. I crossed my arms and cleared my throat.

“S-sorry, I was just dicking around, you know?” he said with a weak laugh.

 I rolled my eyes, then turned around to walk back to my hallway. I could have responded to him and made him hate himself for even mentioning me, but it was a little more fun to stay silent and fuck with his mind.

I walked back through the hallway, hearing him mutter “I’m so screwed,” to himself. I smirked to myself before turning and beginning to walk up the stairs to the senior lockers. We were privileged enough to get our own hallway on the second floor away from the underclassman.

I walked into the hallway, watching in amusement as the others instinctively cleared a path for me. I took off my book bag and opened it, looking for my schedule and locker assignment. If I was lucky, I would be far away from Hanji. I found the number quickly and opened the locker, beginning to unpack my things. I still hadn’t heard any yelling, so I assumed Hanji wasn’t here yet.

 I looked over to my left and saw that Mikasa had successfully found Annie, and the two were sitting on one of the benches set up across from the lockers. It was amazing to me that both of them had small smiles playing on their lips, oblivious to everyone around them. Those two never smiled except for when they were around each other. I silently wondered if I was as obvious with my feelings when I was with Eren. Even though I was happy that Mikasa had someone to make her smile, I couldn’t help but be a bit jealous that she had found someone.

“You ever wonder what they talk about?” said a deep male voice from beside me.

I turned around and saw all six foot three of my blonde best friend standing by me, observing the two girls I had been staring at. “Maybe about kicking puppies,” I offered.

Erwin chuckled, then tore his gaze away from the pair. “You know, I always thought you and Mikasa were too similar to ever get together, but then she ends up with Annie.”

I smirked at him. If it weren’t for the whole wanting Eren’s dick thing, Erwin would be pretty much the perfect friend.” I guess opposites don’t attract when it comes to lesbians.”

He shrugged, then opened the locker next to mine. I had no idea how we were assigned adjacent locker since it was supposed to be by alphabetical order, but I stopped questioning Erwin’s ways a long time ago.

“So,” he started, “how’s Eren?” He asked it innocently enough, but it still pissed me off that he was even thinking of him.

“He’s fine,” I answered curtly.

Erwin hummed and continued to set up his locker. “You can always bring him around when we hang out, you know,” he said.

I ground my teeth together, trying to not go off on him. After all, he had no idea I had feelings for Eren, or that I was into guys. I knew he wasn’t actually doing anything wrong, but it was hard to stop my reactions. “He’s got a lot of his own friends,” I ended up saying.

“So I’ve noticed,” Erwin said with a slight frown. If I wasn’t such an ass I might feel bad that the object of his affections completely ignores him, but I knew Erwin wasn’t nearly as invested in Eren as I was. If anything, Erwin just wanted to fuck him then move on. I’d thought about letting him have his chance and seeing if my feelings for Eren dissipate, but every time I think of him with someone else, it makes my blood boil.

“Anyway,” I said, “I’m surprised you know who isn’t here yet.”

“Didn’t you see her texts?” Erwin asked.

“No, I skimmed them to make sure she didn’t commit arson again.”

Erwin laughed loudly and shook his head. “I remember it took us a good hour to put that fire out.”

I snorted at the memory. Hanji had decided to try and mix some chemicals together in her own fucking room, but it didn’t work out like she had planned. Ironically, the chemicals didn’t cause the fire, they just made her room smell like absolute shit. So she decided to light five or six scented candles around her room, and just left them there while she took all the dangerous elements to the dumpster. By the time she called us, her room was in flames, but she refused to call 911. “And another hour to convince her to never use candles again.”

We both laughed slightly. I gave Hanji a lot of shit, but she never ceased to entertain me at least. “What did her messages say?” I asked.

“Apparently she is on the verge on a breakthrough and won’t leave her work to come to school,” Erwin said with a sigh.

I rolled my eyes. “So she stayed up all night eating god knows what and binge watching Netflix and is too tired to come today?”

Erwin nodded. “Probably.”

As we finished grabbing our things from our lockers, we heard the bell ring, signaling it was time to go to our first hour class. “What do you have now?” I asked Erwin.

“Calculus, and you?”

 “French.”

Erwin started walking down the hall, and I followed. The classes were in opposite directions, but I knew Erwin had to report to the office each morning to read the announcements for the day. As we continued to get to the office, a thought occurred to me. I put my hand in front of Erwin’s chest before he could walk into the door and smirked.

“Erwin, do me a favor. Call Jean Kirstein down here and make some bullshit up about him being in trouble.  And I mean really scare the shit out of him,” I said.

Erwin raised an eyebrow at me. “The same Jean Kirstein who Eren is friends with?”

I nodded. “Yeah, the same one who decked Eren freshman year.”

Erwin hummed in recognition. “I remember that now. Will do, Levi. See you at lunch.” And with that, he casually strolled into the office. Thank fuck I was friends with him.

I heard the excessively loud ringing of the second bell, signaling that I was officially late. I waited around the office for a minute or two so the hallways would clear of the stragglers like me who still hadn’t made it to class. After a significant number of people had left, I started my walk to the French room. It was a complete joke of a class considering I already spoke French fluently, but it was worth it to be able to relax for the first hour of my day. I knew my teacher wouldn’t mind me being a little late.

I finally made it to the familiar room and opened the door. I walked in and found our teacher, Mrs. Cooper, giving me a disproving look. She was a short, older woman with the fakest red hair you’ll ever see, but she was a pretty good teacher.  I shrugged, and she signaled for me to sit down. I figured that would be her reaction.

I scanned the classroom, searching for anyone I knew. I was grateful to see Petra sending me a small smile from the back of the room. I walked over and sat in the back row, away from the window. I never really got the obsession with window seats; it was drafty and distracting.

“Morning, Levi,” she said quietly to me. “Have a good summer?”

I grabbed my book from my book bag and nodded. “It was decent. You?”

She smiled warmly, her amber eyes practically radiating happiness. “Really good. I’m glad to be able to see everyone again, though. “

Petra was always happy, and always sweet to everyone. That’s why I doubted she had feelings for me; I never got why people would think someone like her would be into me, anyway.  I hummed in acknowledgement, then turned to look at my book. Mrs. Cooper was rattling off classrooms rules, so I tuned her out and instead flipped through the book which I already knew the material of.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, so I discreetly pulled it out and set it in front of my textbook. I unlocked it and saw that it was Eren.

_Oh my god Levi, Jean is practically catatonic. I don’t know what you did to him, but you’re my favorite person right now._

I quickly put a hand over my mouth to cover the laugh that almost came out. Damn, I wish I could see it myself. Maybe this year wasn’t going to be as bad as I thought.

French passed by agonizingly slow. Having this class for first hour was going to be a bitch. Finally, I heard the bell rang and sprung up from my seat. Petra got up slower than I did.

“What class do you have now, Levi?” she asked me with her usual smile.

I pulled the schedule out of my pocket and checked it. “Literature,” I answered. It was my favorite class, and I was glad it came right after French since I didn’t really have to try in it.

“Oh,” she said, disappointment flashing over her features, “I have English. Maybe see you at lunch, then?”

I nodded, and headed out the door, not bothering to wait for her.

Literature was just as bad as French. Auruo was in my class, and promptly interrogated me about Petra as soon as I sat down. I barked at him to shut the fuck up and ask her himself, but he just stared longingly out the window. After a nice ten minutes of silence, he went to start up another conversation, but bit his tongue before he could continue. Mikasa and Annie also shared this class with me, but we didn’t say much to each other.

Before lunch, I had AP Biology and History. I found out that once Hanji returned, we would be in biology together. I didn’t let it show, but I inwardly celebrated. Sharing a science class with her was always entertaining, and it also guaranteed me an A. I didn’t know anyone in my History class, which was fine with me.

What seemed like an eternity later, it was finally time for lunch. I practically sprinted to the cafeteria after I put my things away in my locker. I walked in, the familiar scent of school lunch filling my nostrils. Just about the only good thing about Trost High was the food was actually decent.

After I got my meal, I scanned the room looking for Erwin. He wasn’t really hard to miss since he was so fucking tall. My eyes landed on him sitting at a table alone, and I frowned to myself. Normally, he sat with Petra, Mikasa and Annie, but I none of them were there. I walked over, setting my tray down in front of his.

“Where’s the rest of our shitty friends?”

Erwin sighed and looked up at me. “Apparently, Petra, Mikasa and Annie all have the next lunch. Hanji shares ours, though.”

I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Fuck, we’re alone with her?”

“It would appear so. God help us,” he mumbled while starting on the spaghetti that was on his tray.

I was about to start on mine before I heard a familiar voice from behind me. “Levi!”

I turned around and was greeted to Eren running toward me, tray in hand. My heart sped up and I cursed myself at my own stupid bodily reactions. Eren and I had never shared a lunch before, so I was curious as to why he was here.

“You have lunch this hour?” I asked him once he was in ear shot.

He sat his tray down by mine and took a seat. I glanced over at Erwin who was practically beaming at him. Fucking Eyebrows and his million-dollar smile.

“Yeah, I’m like the only junior that has it. Hey, at least we can eat together for the first time,” he said while nudging me with his shoulder. I rolled my eyes, inwardly celebrating.

“Nice to see you again, Eren,” Erwin commented, smiling brightly at him.

Eren returned the smile as he made eye contact. “Same here. This is awesome, Levi never lets me hang out with his friends, so I’m glad I finally get to.”

Yeah. Just fucking perfect. If it wasn’t for the thing that happened with Jean earlier, I’d probably be killing Erwin right about now. I can’t believe it, but I actually wished Hanji was here. Whenever she was around, no one else could get a word in.

“I’ve actually wanted to get to know you for quite some time, Eren,” Erwin said, dropping his voice.

I looked over at Eren, who was fucking blushing at that dick’s comment. Jesus Christ, I’d only made him do that maybe twice, and it was over embarrassment, not whatever the fuck _that_ was Erwin just pulled. Pink dusted his cheeks, making him look damn adorable.

Oh, I was going to kill him. One, for ruining the first year I got to have lunch with Eren, and two for whatever thoughts were running through his head right now. Eren laughed almost nervously, then looked down at his food. I made eye contact with Erwin and glared the living shit out of him, but he didn’t seem to mind. Damn, he had gotten used to my death glare just as Eren had.

“So,” Eren started after he had eaten some of his lunch, “how’d your morning classes go, Levi?”

I shrugged, knowing he’d ask me this eventually. “Same shit different year. Yours?”

Eren sighed heavily, dropping his shoulders. “Armin and I got separated for most of our classes, which kind of sucks. Not to mention he can’t tutor me in math after school anymore because he’s off and joined some club.”

I hate to say, Eren really did need the help in math. He was naturally good at things like History and sports, but could barely pass any math class he took without Armin’s help. I wasn’t much help since I was repeatedly told my teaching skills were, well, shitty to put it in my terms. “Sorry. Think you can find another tutor?”

And just like that, I’d fucked up big time. Erwin Smith, Mr. Straight A student, just happened to be sitting across from me. His ears perked up at my comment, immediately clearing his throat and getting Eren’s attention.

“If you needed it Eren, I would be available for tutoring,” he offered.

Eren’s eyes widened as if he couldn’t believe someone like Erwin was offering to help him. He looked over at me as if to ask if it was alright, but I couldn’t look back at him. If I told him not to take the help, I knew he’d listen. But honestly, Erwin was his best bet for passing the class. And my useless pining over him wasn’t getting me anywhere, so why should I care if they spent time together? Eren could be completely straight. Okay, I knew that wasn’t true. On more than one occasion I’d caught him staring at asses that were most definitely not females. If anything, he was at least a little curious about guys.

Shit, I wanted to tell him no. Keep him from Erwin, because I’d seen firsthand how charming he could be. Guys who swore up and down they were straight would bend over for Erwin Smith. But the thing was, he wasn’t a bad guy. If anyone else but me were to end up with Eren, I’d probably want it to be him.

“Are you sure?” Eren asked, breaking me out of my train of thought. “I mean, you have so many things you’re involved with.”

“It’s not a problem. I’m sure I can find some time for you,” he said so sincerely I wanted to fucking punch him.

“Then yeah, that be great!” Eren exclaimed enthusiastically.

Erwin smiled almost triumphantly at him. “We can start next week, unless that’s too early. My place?”

Oh, oh _hell fucking no._ No way was Eren going to be alone with him in his house. I’ve seen his place; it’s basically the picture of sophistication and grace.

“Make it your place, Eren,” I blurted out. They both looked at me quizzically, although Erwin’s gaze held more anger than Eren’s. Well, I probably should have planned this out. “Eren and his sister ride home with me. I’m not getting stuck riding alone with her every day,” I said. Not my smoothest recovery, but the impassive look on my face still held.

Eren looked unimpressed, but nodded in agreement. “I sort of don’t want them to kill each other, although that be an interesting fight. My place, then?”

Erwin shrugged. “Either way is fine.”

At least Eren’s sister would be home with them now. And if she wasn’t, it’s not like I couldn’t happen to show up. Damn, not only am I an asshole, I’m a cock blocking asshole.

After they figured out the details, we ate in mostly silence. Eren and I were used to being quiet around each other; it was never awkward. In fact, I think we both enjoyed it, even though Eren couldn’t go much longer than ten minutes without filling the silence with talk. Erwin seemed a little put off by the silence. It looked as if he always wanted to say something, but didn’t know what. At least I still knew the brat better.

Maybe if Erwin and Eren got closer, it would make things easier on me. Seeing him happy with someone who was good for him might actually make my feelings ebb away. Yeah, something like that.

God, who was I kidding? This was going to be one hell of a year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don’t want to spoil the plot (if you can call it that) but I feel the need to make sure everyone knows this is going to be Ereri all the way, but there are some Eren/Erwin plot points. I didn’t want to put anyone off or get people’s hopes up for anything else. I might do some Eren/other pairings as well before the boys get their shit together but like I said, definitely Ereri end game. I’ll make sure to warn everyone when it actually happens as well.


	3. Close Enough for Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody bonds and the boys do other cliche things because it's a high school AU

 The first week of school went by slower than I thought was possible. Whoever said senior year goes by quickly is a lying fuck. Although it may just have been because Hanji returned on Tuesday. As annoying as she was, everyone almost seemed to be in a better mood with her return. She was pretty much known as the crazy senior who is friends with just about everyone. No one could escape Hanji once she’s attached herself.

The best thing about her return? Lunch. Once she saw Eren sit down with us, her eyes widened and she got that look in her eyes that scared the shit out of everyone. Eren handled it surprisingly well. He answered every question she had until I finally shut her the fuck up. Erwin stared on, watching as he tried to get a word in edgewise. He never did. After about Thursday, she finally calmed down a bit, but the atmosphere was still different. Erwin seemed less inclined to flirt with Eren when she was around; probably because he knew she would call him out on it. Eren and Erwin had to push back their tutoring for a few more weeks because of scheduling Erwin’s activities, but needless to say, I was going to make sure Mikasa was home that day.

The last class of the week finally came, as I sat in Mythology. Hanji also had the class with me, and Christ did she love it. I’d never seen her so quiet before, and it was a little unnerving. Eren sat next to me, texting away on his phone. He wore a brown sweater with a few buttons down the front, and holy hell was it tight. Even if I had planned on paying attention, there was no way I’d be able to pull my eyes away from him.

 I felt my phone buzz in my pocket, then a sly grin came over his face. I rolled my eyes and took out my phone, already too aware that the brat had texted me.

_From: My Bright Eyed Brat_

_Want to do something after school today to celebrate our first week being over?_

I read over the text a few times to make it seem like I was contemplating whether I wanted to or not. I already knew I’d answer yes, but I didn’t want to seem too eager. Once Eren got started with all his practices and tutoring he barely had any time, so I planned on taking advantage of his free time whenever I could.

_To: My Bright Eyed Brat._

_What do you have in mind?_

I waited for his phone to go off, signaling he had gotten my text. He eagerly opened it, reading over my message. He quickly typed a response.

_From: My Bright Eyed Brat_

_Can I spend the night? Mikasa is having annie over and im not exactly ready to hear whatever the fuck they get up to_

I snorted and shook my head. “You know we could just be talking, right?” I said quietly.

Eren locked his phone and looked over at me. “I guess so. Can I stay, then?”

I tapped my fingers on the desk, watching as he eagerly awaited my answer. He was giving me these big puppy eyes that made my heartbeat quicken. His turquoise eyes could make me do just about anything. He bit his lower lip, then flicked his eyes up towards mine. I swallowed thickly as I watched the movement, unable to tear my gaze away. I wondered if his lips would be as soft as I imagined against mine. Would he take the lead, or let me? I really didn’t give a fuck if it meant being able to finally taste him.

“Levi?” he whispered. I must have taken longer than I thought to answer because he was now looking at me with concern.

“Yes, you can stay over,” I answered after clearing my throat. I shifted in my seat, trying to get my breathing back too normal. It was sad that a simple gesture from him could make me like this. If we did ever kiss could only imagine what it would be like. Actually, I should probably stop imaging it because my black skinny jeans were already uncomfortably tight.

“Awesome!” he said a little too loudly.

We got a stern look from our teacher. Eren looked up at the teacher and smiled sheepishly at her. “Sorry, won’t happen again,” he said in that charming voice I both loved and hated. He really wasn’t helping my dick right now.

She smiled back at him and resumed her lessons. He looked back at me and smirked. I grinned at him and turned away, hiding my smile behind my hand. Eren was pretty confrontational when he was angry enough, but could get away with almost anything with a smile and his perfect student voice.

I walked back through the sea of students trying to get out of school as quickly as possible once the bell rang. I climbed the stairs, reveling in the fact that I could leave the underclassmen behind me. I found my locker and saw Erwin and Petra standing together, apparently waiting for me. Auruo was standing a little too close to Petra, and I couldn’t help but laugh at his persistence.

“Hey, Levi,” the ginger haired girl called out. I nodded to her, then turned to open my locker.

“Hey, you could at least respond to her,” Auruo grumbled.

Seriously, did she not notice his absolute loyalty to her? I promptly ignored him, causing him to sigh and return to Petra. She said goodbye to him politely, and he went back to his locker.

I grabbed the light weight leather jacket I kept in my locker now since it had only gotten colder since the beginning of the week while I heard Hanji stroll up and greet Petra. It was honestly pretty amusing that we were all friends. Everyone was completely different, but it worked out somehow.

“Anyway Levi, we were wondering if you wanted to come hang out today?” Petra asked me after I finished collecting my things. She had her head tilted slightly to the right and was smiling kindly at me. If it were Eren, it may have worked, but I could easily turn down Petra.

“Can’t, already made plans,” I said curtly.

” With Eren, I presume?” Erwin asked, speaking up for the first time.

“Yeah,” I replied casually. I knew he wouldn’t ask anything more; Erwin was pretty good about keeping out of my personal life unless he thought something was wrong.

“Oh, he can come too!” Hanji exclaimed loudly.

But Hanji? She was a different story. “What’s with your obsession with him, Shitty Glasses?” I said bluntly.

She hummed, then leaned back against the lockers and crossed her arms. “The fact that you are around him practically all the time but don’t get tired of him intrigues me,” she said with a grin.

“He doesn’t really give me a choice,” I lied. I quickly put on my jacket and pulled up the collar, hiding the blush that I feared was staining my cheeks.

” I actually wouldn’t mind getting to know him more, Levi,” Petra added, standing next to Hanji.

“That’s two to one, Shorty! Erwin, you’re the final decision,” Hanji said.

Fucking hell, I really didn’t need him to tell me what his answer was. Neither did Hanji, judging from the smug grin that crossed her features.

“I think it’s a good idea,” he said with a smile.

Petra and Hanji squealed in delight while Erwin smiled to himself. Yet again, they had managed to take away my alone time with him. That is of course if he agreed, which I was almost positive he would. “Fine, I’ll ask him.”

“Victory!” Hanji yelled, pumping her fist in the air. I groaned at her display then turned back to the stairs. Eren should be waiting for us by now, and Annie should have given Mikasa a ride back to their place as I asked her to already. At least he and I could still be alone at my place; I sure as fuck wasn’t going to let anyone else sleep over.

The three idiots followed behind me. Petra and Hanji were going on about something while Erwin trailed beside me. I already felt myself getting angry at him just at the thought of him and Eren spending more time together. I really needed to stop this petty jealousy bullshit, especially since I had no right to feel that way in the first place. In reality, he would most likely back off if I asked him; he was just that kind of person. But if I never made a move on Eren, wouldn’t he have every right to?

“You alright there, Levi?” Erwin asked me, pulling me away from my thought. We had already reached the doors leading out of the school while I was off in my own world.

“Just spacing out,” I answered honestly. Erwin looked at me skeptically but didn’t question me.

We left our school and climbed down the steps into the student parking lot. My eyes immediately found Eren leaning on my car, looking through his phone. He had the lightest touch of pink dusting his features, probably from waiting for me out in the brisk fall air.

“Hey, shitty brat,” I called, grabbing his attention from my phone. He looked up at me, then a curious expression crossed his features when he saw Erwin and the girls walking with me.

“Levi!” Hanji yelled in a scolding tone, “Eren is certainly not a shitty brat.” She slung her arm around his shoulder and pinched his cheek with her other hand. “No one this cute deserves that nickname.” I didn’t get jealous when Hanji touched Eren like I did with Erwin. For one, she was asexual. Secondly, if Eren was actually interested in someone as crazy as Hanji, then maybe I needed to rethink my interest in him.

Eren laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. I wasn’t exactly surprised at how easily he kept it with Hanji’s personality, but I definitely hadn’t expected them to become close so quickly.

“Anyway, these guys wanted to do something and took it upon themselves to invite you and I even though we had plans,” I said to him while yanking Hanji off of him.

He shrugged and looked back at me as if he wanted to know what it is I wanted him to say. “I’m up for just about anything,” he said. He was still giving me a chance to back out if I really wanted, but also not flat out turning them down.

“Great!” Hanji exclaimed. “It’s settled then. Eren and Levi will come eat with us.”

I sighed loudly, not looking forward to this at all. Hanji, Erwin, and Petra went to Erwin’s car, and I agreed to take Eren and only him. I’d had Hanji in my car; it’s not an experience I enjoy in the least. I got into the front seat and slammed the door.

Eren got in tentatively, looking at me with concern. I was never good at hiding my feelings around him, and he could also read me pretty well.

“We don’t have to go, Levi,” he said to me once he buckled himself in.

“It’s fine,” I replied.

“ _You’re_ not fine,” Eren said while looking over at me.

I rolled my eyes and started up the car. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy being around the three of them, I just really wasn’t in the mood. I had expected to go back to my place and relax with Eren.

“You know,” Eren started after we had driven for only a minute, “I bet you’re just pissy because you wanted to be alone with me,” he said while wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I snorted. He didn’t realize how right he really was. “Maybe you’re right,” I replied with a smirk.

He hummed and grinned triumphantly. “We can still hang out tonight.”

I nodded and turned down a street toward the restaurant I knew Hanji would choose. “After we eat, we’re getting the fuck away from them.”

Eren laughed loudly but agreed nonetheless. He had made me feel a little better about our day, at least. We pulled up into the small diner that Hanji, Erwin, and I always ate at. It was owned by a friend of Erwin’s parents, so we usually got a nice discount. The food was decent as well, and they keep it pretty clean.

“How come you’ve never taken me here before?” Eren asked when they had parked outside the diner.

“Because those shits are always with me when I come here,” I said with a sigh. I turned off the car, then unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of my car. Eren followed me, shutting the door behind him. I saw Erwin’s car parked down a couple spots away from us and heard Hanji’s yelling already.

Eren must have noticed my discomfort. “Levi,” he called, causing me to turn around and look at him.

He grabbed my wrist lightly, brining me closer to him. I exhaled loudly, not used to him being so close. He was looking at me with a warm smile. “Just get through eating, then we can relax, yeah?”

It was impossible for me to deny him when he acted like that, and I’m pretty sure he knew it. Damn manipulative shit. “Let’s go,” I said weakly. He smiled brightly, then let go of my wrist. I missed his touch on me immediately.

We walked over to where the other three were standing side by side, Eren giving me one last reassuring smile before making our presence known. The three of them walked into the restaurant once they saw that we were close behind. Eren and I followed them into the small, dinner like café. It was simple enough; a few booths set up on either side of the place with tables set up beside them, and a counter area in the middle where you could see the food being prepared. I especially liked that since it meant I could watch whoever was cooking my food.

“The usual table, Levi?” Hanji asked me, a bright smile plastered on her face.

I only nodded in response, guiding Eren in the direction of our usual booth. Normally, it would be Erwin and I on one side with Petra and Hanji on the other, but I’d definitely have Eren by me. Before anyone could protest, I grabbed his arm and shoved him so he was sitting on one side, then I scooted in next to him. He frowned and rubbed his arm as if I had actually hurt him, which I of course hadn’t. Erwin and Petra sat across from us, and Hanji grabbed a chair from one of the tables and pulled it up to the open side of the booth.

A waitress quickly came over and took our drink orders. Everyone but Hanji got either water or soda, but she chose to get a milkshake as usual.

“What are you, twelve?”  I asked her once the waitress was out of earshot.

“Hey, there is no age limit to enjoying milkshakes,” she retorted indignantly.

“I think I have to agree with Hanji on this one,” Petra added.

“Hah!” Hanji yelled loudly, crossing her arms and grinning widely. I merely rolled my eyes and sat back against the booth.

“Come on Levi, you liked them when you were little,” Eren said, nudging my shoulder.

“Oh my god, Eren you must tell us stories about little Levi!” Hanji cried, slamming her hands on the table. “Erwin, Petra, you agree with me, right?” she asked frantically.

“Well, it would be interesting,” Erwin said, shrugging his shoulders. Wow, he wasn’t doing himself and favors recently. Surely Petra wouldn’t turn on me as well.

“Oh, please Eren!” she said with a laugh.

“I probably shouldn’t, at least not with him right here,” Eren said with a chuckle.

“Oh, you _really_ shouldn’t,” I snapped at him.

Hanji groaned loudly and slumped into her seat. “Come one, Eren. Give us something.”

Now I could only hope Eren was still a little scared of my glare as I scowled at his perfect green eyes. He was furrowing his brows as if contemplating whether he was going to listen to my three idiot friends or me.

“Well,” he started, pulling out his phone from his pocket and scrolling through something I couldn’t see, “I can’t tell any stories, but I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to show you this.” He slid his phone to Hanji before I could grab it and see what he was about to show her.

She picked it up swiftly, bringing it up to her face so I couldn’t see. She examined it before breaking out in a wide grin, mouth open and squealing in her seat. “Oh my god!”

“What, what?” Petra asked excitedly. Hanji passed her the phone while slapping a hand over her mouth to try and stifle her laugh, but it wasn’t working. Petra looked at the phone and had an even harder time not laughing, eventually having to hand it off to Erwin while falling over on him.

By this point I was ready to kill someone, maybe even Eren depending on whatever the hell was on that phone. Even Erwin broke into laughter, which was unsettlingly attractive if the smile on Eren’s face was an indicator.

“What the fuck are you showing them, Eren?” I growled at him.

He reached over to get his phone back from Erwin who was still laughing along with the other two idiots. He bit his lower lip coyly before hesitantly handing it over to me. I grabbed it roughly out of his hands before taking in the photo he had shown them.

Now, I love Eren. I really do. But I had never wanted to kill him more, even though he looked like a kicked puppy the way he was lowering his head and batting his insanely long eyelashes at me. Okay, maybe I wouldn’t kill him, but he was going to get it later on tonight. The picture was of Eren, Mikasa and I along with his parents and Kenny. It was the first Christmas I had spent with them, and Carla had insisted we make it “special.” Her idea of doing that was making all three of us dress up as elves. As if I needed any more reason to comment on my height.

“How the hell is this even on your phone?” I grumbled, locking the device and giving it back to him.

“I have my ways,” he said slyly.

“Oh Levi, you were such a cute little elf!” Hanji wailed, still fighting off laughter. “Well, you still are I guess!” she said, making everyone but me break out into laughter.

“Yes, the short jokes never get old,” I replied sarcastically. “You do all know Petra is shorter than me, right?”

“Only by a half inch, Levi,” Erwin chimed in.

“And sweetie, she makes it cute,” Hanji replied with a grin.

“Fuck off, Hanji,” I spat at her. As much as I hated to admit it, this wasn’t going as badly as I expected. As usual, everyone was getting along with Eren, and he seemed to be enjoying himself, even if it was at my expense.

I suddenly felt Eren lean into me while the others were chatting away about something, causing me to tense up. “Sorry if I crossed a line there, Levi,” he said quietly enough for only me to hear.

“You didn’t, you little shit,” I replied with a slight grin.

He smiled back at me and nodded his head. “Good. And just for the record, I think you make your height extremely cute,” he whispered.

Fuck. Jesus fucking Christ. That wasn’t fair. Not at all; having Eren whisper the fact that he thinks I’m cute into my ear should not be a turn on. But holy shit was it. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep myself from doing anything but staring straight ahead. I knew I was blushing, there was no way around it this time. If he noticed, he thankfully didn’t say anything, just returned to his drink and smirked at me. I doubt he meant it in the way I took it, he was probably just teasing me, trying to provoke me or something.

While I tried to calm my beating heart, everyone else went on with some other conversation. I barely even noticed when our waitress came back and took our order, and I had no idea what I ordered.

“You okay, Levi?” Hanji asked with mild concern.

“Just fine,” I mumbled curtly. She looked back at me with what I call the “I know you’re lying, we’ll talk later,” look before shrugging and leaving me be. It was actually really annoying how well she knew me.

I guess Erwin and Eren must have started up a conversation while I was spacing off because the two were going on about something animatedly. I shook off my previous thoughts to listen to whatever it was they were talking about.

“Are you excited for the start of swim season, Eren?” Erwin asked.

Eren’s face lit up at the mention of swimming. He was a natural at it and absolutely loved the water. Ever since he was young, he’d dreamed about going to the ocean and being able to swim in it. Although he never had, he certainly made due with pools. And its sort of ridiculous how bat shit crazy the girls (and guys, honestly) go over him during the season. Hanji had told me once it had something to do with some sort of anime, but I was never really into that, so I wouldn’t know.

“Oh, definitely,” he replied with an enthusiastic grin. “It should be a good year.”

“Can we come to your meets?” Petra asked with a hopeful smile.

 “If you’d like to, sure. I doubt you’ll be able to drag Levi, though,” he said rolling his eyes at me.

“Levi!” Hanji said in a scolding tone, “You don’t go to his meets?!”

“Nope,” Eren answered for me, “he stopped coming sophomore year.”

I had a perfectly acceptable reason for not going to his meets. Eren’s freshman year, I made sure to go to every meet and conference he had. Back then, I still wasn’t really what my feelings were. I knew I cared for him more than anyone else, but I hadn’t realized I was attracted to him. He was also still a lanky teenager. Then, his sophomore year, I showed up to his first conference of the season. Over the summer, he had done extensive training, and _shit_ I’d never seen a body as perfect as his. As soon as he stepped out of the pool, tan skin dripping with water that cascaded down his perfectly muscled body, I knew I was fucked. Swimmer’s most definitely had the sexiest bodies I’d ever seen, or maybe it was just Eren.  I continued to go that year, but after about the third time, I was finding it increasingly difficult to keep myself sane around him if I had to see his body for all of its perfection so often.

“Well I’ll be fixing that!” Hanji declared.

“No you won’t,” I retorted indignantly. I could only imagine what Eren’s body looked like after another year of training and aging. He had worked as a life guard over the summer for a job, which meant he probably snuck in some training there as well.

“We’ll see,” Hanji sang out.

After that, our food arrived. The conversation died down after that since everyone focused on eating. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, though. My other friends seemed to accept Eren easily, which actually wasn’t that bad of a thing. I don’t think I would mind having him around my friends like this. Erwin was keeping himself from coming onto him, and Hanji and Eren seemed to really get along.

Before I realized it, everyone had finished their meal, and we were paying. I argued with Eren for a bit, trying to get him to let me pay his since it was my idea to come, but he adamantly refused. I rolled my eyes and shoved him lightly, making sure to make a note to buy him something later.

“Well, this was fun,” Petra said sincerely, while everyone was getting up to leave.

“Thanks for asking me along,” Eren replied with a smile.

“Oh it was no problem at all, cutie. In fact, I think I like Levi better when you’re around,” Hanji said, throwing one arm around me and one around Eren. Eren laughed while I gave her my best glare. Seriously, was there anyone who was still affected by it?

Eren said goodbye to Erwin and Petra, and I tore Hanji away from him before we made it back to my car. Finally, I could be alone with him. I sat back in the driver’s seat, already feeling the calm sensation being around the brunet brought to me.

“Hey Levi?” he asked me, looking over.

“What?”

“Can I drive?”

I smacked the back of his head before pulling out of the parking lot.

It wasn’t long before we were pulling into my house. I knew he wouldn’t need anything to spend the night because over the summer he did it so often I already had an extra toothbrush, set of clothes, and blankets for him. We exited the car and grabbed our school things before going into my house. I noticed Kenny’s car wasn’t there, meaning he wasn’t home. I knew he wouldn’t care if Eren stayed over; he practically lived here anyway.

We went into the house, Eren throwing himself over the back of the leather couch and letting out a loud sigh. I strolled over and leaned over the couch, looking at his apparently exhausted form. He had an arm over his face with his legs sprawled out.

“Lazy brat,” I commented, smirk playing on my lips.

“Very. Lazy I mean, not a brat,” he clarified.

“What do you want to do?” I asked, propping my head up on my hand.

“Sleep,” he mumbled.

“It’s not even six, Eren,” I said back with a chuckle.

He groaned loudly, removing the arm from his face so he could look at me. His hair was ruffled all over his face as he gave me a lazy grin. Fuck, he was cute. “Fine. Movie then?”

I nodded in agreement, standing up straight to go put on Netflix. I figured he meant in the living room since he didn’t seem like moving anytime soon.

“Can we watch in your room? I want to lay in the bed,” he asked while yawning loudly.

Guess I was wrong, then. Why he was so tired I couldn’t say, but I agreed anyway. I walked back towards the hallway, figuring he would be following me soon. I definitely wasn’t on my game today, considering he stayed exactly where he was.

“You know,” I called from the hallway,” watching in my room means you have to move your lazy ass.”

“But _Levi,”_ he said back to me, drawing out my name. I felt a shiver run through me the way he shamelessly called for me, not realizing how that sounded. It made me think of how he would sound if he was calling my name out of pleasure, muscles glistening with sweat-

And I needed to stop.

I took a deep breath and backed into the living room, standing in front of the couch where he still hadn’t moved. He smiled at me sheepishly. “Am I going to have to throw you off the couch?”

“Probably,” he replied.

If he really wasn’t going to move, I could help him out, right? A wolfish grin appeared on my face as I knelt down, hands going under his knees. I knew I shouldn’t be doing this to myself, but I could have a little fun, couldn’t I?

With a swift movement, I picked him up off the couch, holding him up against my chest, princess style. He yelped loudly, grabbing onto my shoulders to steady himself. His eyes widened as I easily held him there. I felt my heart rate quicken at the close contact. He was so close I could feel his breath against my neck, and if I leaned down just a few inches, our lips could connect.

“L-Levi! At least warn me you ass,” he grumbled.

“If I warned you I wouldn’t get to hear your little squeak,” I teased while walking back towards my room.

“Hey, that was a very manly noise of surprise,” he said back indignantly.

I rolled my eyes and continued walking with him in my arms until we reached my room. It was a simple room like the sibling’s. Most of it was painted dark blue, and my bedsheets matched, I had a TV set in the corner along with a table for studying at. I threw Eren down on the bed unceremoniously, watching as he laughed and tried to steady himself.

“Pick a movie, I’m going to change and get your shit,” I replied to him. He nodded and quickly grabbed the remote.

I went into my closet and took out some sweats and a somewhat oversized t-shirt to lounge around in. I grabbed Eren’s spare set of clothes from the bottom of the closet; some athletic shorts and a t-shirt similar to mine. Although, it probably wouldn’t be oversized for him. I threw them at him, smirking when he was hit directly in the face.

“Dammit Levi,” he grumbled, setting the clothes aside and going back to choosing a movie.

I held my change of clothes in my hand, preparing to go into the bathroom and get out of my dirty clothes. I went into the bathroom and changed quickly, then came back into the room. Eren had changed into the clothes I threw at him and was laying against the bed.

I climbed in next to him, sitting against the wall. He put his legs over mine and snuggled into the blanket. I resisted the temptation to run my hands over his smooth legs. He had to shave for swimming, making me wonder if it was true that swimmers had to shave every part of their body. I shook away the wildly inappropriate thought, looking back to the movie. It was some action flick I’d never heard of, but it didn’t really matter to me.

He started the movie and we watched, him with more interest than me. We both made stupid comments and generally didn’t pay much attention. Somehow I ended up lying beside him, our bodies pressed close together. I never liked the fact that I had such a small bed unless Eren stayed over. Although he or I ended up sleeping on the floor with a sleeping bag or on the couch in the living room, but it was nice to be able to lay here with him for a while.

After the movie ended, he yawned again and stretched his arms above him.

“Why the fuck are you so tired?” I mumbled.

“’m not sure, the week was just long,” he said, closing his eyes and wrapping the blanket around himself.

I guess he was taking the bed, then. “You’re making me tired,” I said.

He gave a small laugh, but didn’t stir. He had turned on his side so he was facing me. I sighed and started to remove myself from the small bed. I had made it halfway off before I felt a hand grabbing at my wrist.

“What is it?” I asked.

“I always feel bad making you take the couch. And I’m in no mood to get up, so just stay.”

I swallowed thickly at his words. Sure, we had slept in the same bed before, but not for a while. He was looking at me, practically pleading me with his eyes. The answer had to be no; I can’t put myself in these situations.

“Alright.”

Goddammit.

 I sighed loudly again, slipping back under the covers. He grinned widely and adjusted so we both had room, which was really fucking difficult in a twin bed. I decided on turning my back to him, mostly because I didn’t think I could fall asleep having to look at his peaceful face.

“Night Levi,” He mumbled from behind me.

“Night, Eren.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty excited for how this is going so far, especially for next chapter. The plot is going to start progressing faster now.


	4. Fantasies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi wakes up and finds himself in a predicament and lets Eren know a very important detail about himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is basically all dialogue, but it was needed. The start of smut here, but not the kind you want I’m sure. I've added some tags so check those out if you want to know what you're getting into.

I woke up to an intense warm feeling I’d never experienced before. I felt strong arms wrapped around me from behind, and a heavenly toned body pressed firmly against my back. I felt his breath ghost over my neck, making me shiver each time.

There was a reason I always made us sleep separately. I was tired enough last night to think that maybe he had changed since we last shared a bed, but I knew from the moment I began to wake up I was wrong.

Eren was a cuddler.

And shit, I didn’t mind. I felt his hand splaying over my stomach with each intake of breath and his chest against my back. If I were to press back against him, my ass would probably be grinding right on his-

_No._ That’s not where I should be going with this. I should be enjoying this for what it is, not imagining what it would be like if Eren suddenly woke up and pressed himself further into me, kissing my neck and whispering into my ear-

_Goddammit._ To make things even worse, I was hard. Painfully so. And Eren’s hand was on my lower stomach, unintentionally teasing me. I tried to close my eyes and think of anything else but Eren’s heavenly body moving against mine, but I failed each time I felt his hot breath on my neck. I was achingly hard and I knew I needed to do something about it.

I hesitantly took the arm that was around my stomach and lifted it up, watching Eren’s sleeping face over my shoulder. He didn’t stir even as I set down the arm. I shuffled out of the blanket as quietly as I could, untangling our legs as I got out of the bed. I gave him one last look to confirm he was asleep before darting into the bathroom.

I fully intended on taking a cold shower to alleviate my problem without it being weird, but as soon as I stepped into the bathroom, my imagination ran wild.

I know it seems wrong to jack off to your best friend while he’s two doors down from you, and that’s because it fucking is. I turned on the water of the shower as fast I could and ripped off my clothes, stepping into the scalding water. I could feel my cock twitch as I recalled the way Eren’s firm chest was pressed into me. I bit the bottom of my lip to suppress a groan.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I reached down with one hand and slowly gave myself one stroke, biting my lip even harder. I imagined it was Eren tentatively stroking me, looking at me with those pleading eyes. I went faster now, picking up the pace of while I slowly began to thrust into my hand.

“ _Shit,”_ I choked out after swiping my thumb over the head of my cock. I braced myself on the wall of the shower with my other hand. I couldn’t help but let out a few soft moans of pleasure as my hand slid up and down the base of my cock. I could see Eren in my mind, growing more confident as he saw me come apart under his ministrations. The images flew freely in my mind as I furiously pumped myself. He would be on his knees, slowly bringing his face closer to my throbbing arousal until he took the head unto his mouth, sucking harshly.

“Nnn…Eren,” I called out softly. I thrusted into my hand, closing my eyes to envision it was his hot mouth I was fucking into. Those perfectly pick lips around me, bobbing up and down, staring into my eyes as he took me farther and farther into his throat.

I clapped my other hand over my mouth when I dipped my thumb into the slit, crying out harshly. It felt _so fucking good._ Eren, Eren, Eren I chanted over and over in my head. I felt heat pooling in my abdomen, warning me of my upcoming release. I flicked my wrist as I continued to fuck my hand, reveling in the fantasy in my mind.

I imagined Eren pulling off of my cock and using his hand to finish me off, looking up at me with those fucking eyes of his, whispering sinfully, “ _Cum for me, Levi.”_

I bit into my finger as I came into my hand, nearly moaning out right as I felt my orgasm rush over me. I stroked myself through it, panting harshly as I took my hand away from my mouth. I don’t think I have ever cum that hard in my life.

I cleaned myself up and actually took a shower before the realization sunk it. Shit, what did I just do? I had never done that, not even if I had been tempted to in the past. How would I even look at him now without those images flooding my mind?  I was going to get hard every time he looked at me. I shut off the water and climbed out of the shower, feeling less clean than I had before I went in.

A few tentative knocks on the bathroom made me jump slightly, my heart still racing from my previous activities.

“Levi?” I heard Eren call from the other side of the door.

“What?” I snapped back, angrier than I intended.

“Damn, just wanted to know when the bathroom would be open,” he grumbled.

I think it was the fact that he could so easily get under my skin and make me do things I would never do before, but I found myself irrationally angry at him. If it wasn’t for his damn cuddling, I would have woken up like every other morning. I snatched my sweatpants up and hastily put them on. My hair was still dripping wet but I didn’t bother drying it.

Eren was standing there with his hair standing up at all angles, eyes glassed over with sleep. But when I stepped out, he noticeable widened his eyes, staring back at me. Only by sheer will power did I make my mind not go back to a very inappropriate place. “Go take a shit if you need to,” I said irritably.

Instead of moving into the bathroom, he just stayed there. “W-what?”

I looked at him quizzically, but he wouldn’t meet my eyes. Instead, I noticed his eyes trailing down…

I’d forgotten shirt.

Wait, did that mean Eren was checking me out? He certainly seemed like it the way his eyes were glued to my torso, not even bothering to be discreet about it. I smirked when I realized he was most definitely surprised at my physique since he hadn’t seen it since we were a lot younger.

“Like what you see?” I said in a low tone. I was crossing into dangerous territory here, but I couldn’t miss my opportunity to tease him a little, especially not when I had a chance to see if he actually was attracted to me.

He snapped his eyes back towards my face and gaped at me. His face blushed brightly, and fuck if it wasn’t the sexiest thing I’d ever seen. So much for willing my thoughts away.

“I- I wasn’t, but I mean, yeah,” he blurted out. After he said it, it was clear he hadn’t meant to when his eyes widened impossible wider and his blush intensified. He stuttered out why I assumed was a clarification, but I couldn’t tell over his rambling.

Inside, I was silently screaming. I had managed to calm to heartbeat down to a reasonable pace, but that wasn’t happening anymore.  I chuckled darkly and brushed the bangs out of my face with one of my hands, watching as Eren followed the movement with his eyes.

“Calm down, Eren. Wouldn’t want to break your little bi heart,” I teased at him.

Now I definitely had his attention. I had been meaning to tell him I knew for a while, but it just never came up. If I was going to let him know my feelings, he needed to know I was absolutely fine with his sexuality. That was probably not the best way to go about doing it if his almost terrified expression was anything to go by.

“Wait, you…you know?” he asked quietly.

I cleared my throat and nodded. “Yeah. I sort of figured it out but had my suspicions confirmed. Even if your eye fucking me didn’t give it away, you’re not exactly discreet.”

Eren looked even more shocked at my bluntness. I may have been going a little too far, but this was just too easy. His rattled state was adorable. He had been inadvertently making me flustered for the last three years, so it was nice to get a little payback.

“I wasn’t eye fucking you!” he yelled loudly, accompanying his ever growing blush. “So you’re just…okay with me?” he mumbled. He refused to meet my eyes, so I took his chin and directed our gazes to meet.

“Are you fucking serious? Eren, I don’t give a shit about that. And in case you haven’t noticed, I’m best friends with Hanji who I’m ninety percent sure gets off on the periodic table, and Erwin Smith.”

Eren smiled sheepishly at me until he nodded in understanding. I gave him a small smile back before releasing his chin and stepping away from the doorway. I definitely didn’t plan to start my morning with a jerk off session and then a heart to heart with the object of my fantasy, but I never should try and plan things with Eren around.

I had almost made it out of the hallway before Eren had turned around and called my name with a confused look on his face.

“Forget how to shit?” I deadpanned.

He seemingly ignored my comment and stared back at me. “Wait, Erwin’s not straight?”

See what I mean when I say completely oblivious? He’d been flirting with Eren since the day he met him, and Eren didn’t even realize it. Erwin wasn’t “in the closet”, but he chose to only tell those who directly needed to know he was gay. So his friends, basically.

“Erwin Smith is the farthest from straight you can possibly get,” I replied back.

“Huh.”

I quirked an eyebrow at him. That’s it? Well he doesn’t seem happy about that revelation, so that’s a start.

Eren let out a sharp laugh. "Is there anyone straight who goes to Trost?” he asked with a laugh.

I snorted, finding it amusing that he had asked the same question I had with Hanji. Before I could think of an appropriate answer, I simply shrugged and smirked back at him. “Maybe not,” I said back.

I didn’t wait for his reaction, since I was pretty sure he had expected me to tell him that I was straight. I’d let him wonder for a while what that meant. Eren wasn’t good with secrets, and he was even worse with not knowing important things. It would be long until he asked me, I was sure.

When I got back into my room, I put a shirt on and laid back down on my bed. I liked sharing a bed with Eren, but it was also nice to be able to spread out in it. I took my phone from the table by my bed and opened it. I had a text message from Hanji. I almost ignored it, but remembered the last time I had done that on a weekend she had come into my house unannounced.

_From: Shitty Glasses_

_We need to talk ASAP, shortie!_

Well, that was a bad sign. I assumed she meant alone, which meant having to tell Eren he needed to go home. The message was from a half hour ago, and if I didn’t reply soon I was sure she would be over soon.

_To Shitty Glasses:_

_Eren’s here, give me twenty._

I got up from the bed and walked into the hallway. The door to the bathroom was open, so I made my way into the kitchen. I heard Eren moving around and mumbling a few expletives. I walked into the living room and saw him staring into the fridge. He was here so often it was established that any food was fair game.

“What are your plans for today?” I asked, leaning up against the doorframe.

“Hmm?” he replied, not taking his eyes away.

I sighed and walked over to him, smacking the back of his head. “Ow!” he exclaimed, rubbing his head. “Such an ass,” he said.

“I’ll stop being an ass when you answer my question,” I replied back, reaching around him to grab some juice out of the fridge. I took a glass from the cabinet and filled it.

“I doubt that. But I have swim practice today at nine,” he said back, taking the glass I had just made and taking a long drink. I scowled at him before smacking him once more, causing him to almost spill juice all over my counter.

“See! I answered your question and you still abuse me,” he said, sliding the juice back over to me.

I chose to ignore him because I was still a little pissed about the fact that he took a drink from my glass. I didn’t mind if it was him doing it, but I had to keep up some appearances. I felt my phone buzz from my pocket and I took it out. It was Hanji again.

_From: Shitty Glasses_

_Hope you two used protection ;)_

I choked on my drink as soon as I read her text, coughing and setting down my phone. Eren looked over worriedly. I leaned up against the counter and calmed myself down before turning to look at him. “What?” I barked out.

He looked over at my phone, which was lying on the counter, unlocked, then back at me. “That text must have been pretty interesting,” he said with a curious smile.

I narrowed my eyes at him and crossed my arms over my chest. That was not something I needed him to see. _I_ knew she was kidding, but would Eren?  The phone was about halfway between both of us, but he had the advantage of his longer reach if he really was going to try and take it. “Not really,” I replied in a cool tone.

He hummed and kept my gaze, mischief obvious in his eyes. I kept his stare as his lips curled into a smirk. He had a predatory look in his eyes that I couldn’t help imagining would look much better in a different setting. Like his bed. Fuck, stop being so sexy, Eren. He moved with speed that even surprised me as he grabbed my phone, then jumped over the counter. He had successfully distracted me with that sinful smile of his.

I ran around the counter, staring him down as he held my phone is his hands. It looked as if he was contemplating whether or not he was actually going to read it or not. “So it is interesting,” he said teasingly.

“Eren,” I said sternly, “stop fucking around.”

My tone apparently affected him as he looked even more conflicted. He bit his lower lip, then looked back at the phone. “Alright, but you asked me to.”

He slipped around the edge of the counter so he had a few seconds for me to catch up. I saw him scroll up through the few messages that had been sent between us before I ran around to catch him. It was obvious when he got to her last text with the way his face morphed into pure shock and embarrassment. I snatched the phone out of his hand even though it was too late and pocketed it once again.

It was quiet for a while, and this time, it was a little uncomfortable. Eren was leaning against the counter, and I also, a few feet in between us. I really thought I had fucked up until I heard Eren clear his throat and turn to me.

“So does Hanji think we’re a thing?” he asked with a nervous laugh.

“No,” I answered quickly. “She’s just an idiot.”

He exhaled loudly in what sounded like relief, making my heart hurt slightly. Was he that relieved that she didn’t think we were a thing? Would it really be that bad if someone thought we were more than friends? I wasn’t stupid, I knew there had been rumors about us because of how close we were, but Eren never seemed to pick up on it.

“I mean that just wouldn’t make sense because you’re…you know,” he said, fidgeting with the hem of his t-shirt.

“Because I’m what?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.

He looked at me as if he had said the most obvious thing in the world. “Well, since you’re straight.”

I did say it wouldn’t take him long to ask me. I had no problem admitting my sexuality, but it was a different story when it meant Eren would officially know there was a chance we could be together. I cocked an eyebrow at him and leaned my hip on the counter while facing him. “When did I ever say that?”

Eren opened and closed his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but couldn’t quite find the words. I stood in front of him, waiting for an answer.

“You aren’t?”

“No,” I said smoothly.

Eren’s face morphed into something I couldn’t read that looked somewhere between confused and surprised. “I never knew…” he said, trailing off.

“Not many people do,” I answered.

He looked at me and then smiled warmly, showing off his perfect teeth. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“Same reason you never told me,” I answered. It wasn’t exactly true; I hadn’t told Eren because he was pretty much the reason I discovered my sexuality.

“Wait,” he said, expression going back to confusion and intrigue, “Have you and Erwin…?”

“Fuck no!” I yelled, scowling at him. “You think I’d go for that?”

He laughed loudly and fell against the counter. “What? It’s a logical question.”

I huffed and shoved him, walking past him to find something to eat. “There’s nothing logical about Eyebrows and I just because we’re friends and both happen to enjoy dick. Have you and Armin fucked?”

Eren averted his eyes quickly and went back to fidgeting. Okay, he was officially the worst liar in the world. “Are you shitting me?” I asked louder than I intended to.

“W-we haven’t actually _fucked,_ just messed around a bit when we were younger. When we found out we were both into guys, it just sort of happened,” he said quickly, still not looking at me. Oddly enough, I didn’t feel the same jealousy towards Armin, probably because I knew that they were just stupid teenagers dicking around. Of course it still pissed me off, just not to the same extent. But damn, I wasn’t expecting Eren to have more experience than me. I’m really not lying when I say he is the only person I had ever been attracted to, so I haven’t done anything with anyone. I guess it wasn’t realistic to think someone as attractive and popular as Eren would be a virgin, but I assumed it nonetheless.

“Still doesn’t mean Erwin and I have.”

“I mean, he’s not bad looking,” he mumbled from behind me.

I froze in place and grit my teeth. It wasn’t hard to see that Erwin was good looking, but I certainly didn’t need to hear it from Eren’s mouth. I grabbed some bread and popped it into the toaster, trying to ignore him.

“And he seems like a pretty good person. Smart, too,” he added. 

I was close to shaking with anger now. I didn’t consider myself a jealous person in most aspects, but this was one of those areas. Before I knew it, I had turned around and was glaring at him. He was obviously confused, which only fueled my anger.

“He wants to fuck you,” I blurted out. As soon as I said it, I realized I had messed up. Erwin was my friend just as Eren was, and that was just a dick move on my part.

He gaped at me and ran his hand through his hair. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah…” I said weakly. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

The atmosphere was tense now, and I knew it was my fault. Erwin was probably going to kill me if he ever found out I had told Eren. Unless Eren shared the attraction, then I guess he would be thanking me. The thought made me feel slightly sick, but I couldn’t think of that right now.

“I’m not really into him or anything…” he murmured, mostly to himself if the fact that he wasn’t looking at me was an indicator.

I smiled to myself despite the situation. “Hoh?” I said in an animated tone.

Eren jerked his heard towards me. He definitely hadn’t meant to say that out loud, then. “Oh, um, yeah. Not really for me,” he said sheepishly. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s hot, but I don’t see us working out as a couple.”

Well this day was shaping up nicely. I couldn’t help but smile at him as I took the toast out of the toaster and put it on the counter. “Maybe you’ll finally realize how much he flirts with you,” I said offhandedly.

Eren scoffed and got some jelly out of the cabinet and set it by me. He scooted next to me and took out a knife from one of the drawers and started to spread it over the toast. “He doesn’t flirt with me,” he said indignantly.

“God, you’re an idiot sometimes,” I answered back. While Eren was finishing up the toast, I checked my phone once again and noticed the time.

“What time did you say your practice was?” I asked Eren.

“Nine, what time is it now?” he said, washing off the knife he had used.

“Eight fifty-five,” I said with a sigh.

“Fuck!” Eren yelled. He grabbed one piece of toast and put it in his mouth before rushing to get to his book bag.

“Need me to take you?”

“No, Annie’s dropping me off, she’s on the girl’s team,” he answered while hurriedly getting his stuff together. “I’ll text you later, okay?” he said.

“Fine. Now get out,” I answered back.

He laughed before sprinting out of my door. He opened it and stopped before turning his head around back to me. “Hey Levi?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks. For…you know,” he said with a light blush.

Somehow, that simple thank you was enough to make my heart swell with emotion. I did know; he was thanking me for accepting him and in turn, telling him about myself. “You’re welcome, idiot,” I said back.

He gave me one last smile before running back to his house. I may or may not have watched him from my kitchen window.

I grabbed my juice and breakfast and sat on the couch with a long sigh. A shit ton had gone down this morning. I was one step closer to admitting my feelings to Eren, and the thought made my heart race. He certainly seemed like he was at least a little attracted to me. And what did he mean by the fact that Erwin wasn’t for him? Erwin was everyone’s type. I wonder if he’ll give up once Eren tells him he isn’t interested. Honestly, it is a pretty bad situation for Erwin, but I still felt relieved. One person I didn’t want to compete with was him.

My moment of peace was interrupted by a loud knocking at my door. Eren had been kind enough to lock it, meaning Shitty Glasses (who else would be banging on my door at nine?) couldn’t just barge in.

“Oh Levi, it’s been twenty minutes!” she sang from outside my door.

“Shut the fuck up, I’m, coming,” I grumbled, reluctantly getting up from the couch. I slowly walked over to the front door and opened it, revealing Hanji and all her unholy glory. She had a pair of jeans and a yellow t-shirt on, along with a pair of charcoal converse.

“Morning!” she chirped before letting herself in. I slammed the door behind her, watching as she bounced over to the couch and sat herself down. I saw her eying my unfinished toast before I briskly walked over and swatted her hands away.

I sat down by her.” What’s this about?” I asked irritably.

She pouted at me for a moment. “Someone’s feeling particularly grumpy today. Did your night with Eren not end the way you wanted it to?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows at me.

I clenched my jaw and tried to keep my face impassive as I stared back at her. There was something she wasn’t telling me and I was tired as shit of not knowing.

“Honestly,” she continued, bringing her knees to her chest and leaning her head on them, “I can’t believe I didn’t see it before! No wonder you tried so hard to keep Eren away from Erwin and I.”

“What are you talking about?” I said, trying to feign ignorance.

She rolled her eyes dramatically and hit me with her free hand. “You and Eren, duh. Levi, if I wasn’t so happy I’d be very angry that you didn’t tell me you liked the boy sooner.”

Was I seriously that obviously? And if I was, I was going to have a long chat with Erwin. I groaned loudly and set my head in my hands. I heard Hanji cackling beside me but didn’t look up at her.  

“How long, sweetie?” she asked gently.

“I don’t even know. Probably always, but I was too stubborn to admit it,” I mumbled into my hands.

I felt her hand on my back, and I went to move, but she kept me firmly in place. I sighed and gave up, letting her rub my back soothingly. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?” She didn’t have any hurt to her tone, just curiosity.

I was surprised at how well she was doing with this, so I figured being honest was my best bet. “I thought my feelings would just…I don’t know, stop. If I didn’t tell anyone.”

She snorted and continued to run her hand over my back. “And how’s that working out for you?”

I growled and took my head out of my hands, scooting farther down the couch to get some distance between us. She didn’t catch on and only made her way closer to me. “Sooo,” she drawled out, looking at me wickedly. “Are you going to let Mama Hanji help you?”

“No, no fucking way.”

She looked like a kicked puppy at my comment, but continued on anyway. “But Leeevi, you aren’t ever going to tell him! And Erwin is going to put the moves on him, then you’ll be pissed at him.”

“He’s _been_ putting the moves on him. Frequently, Hanji. Eren apparently doesn’t think they would be a good couple, anyway.”

“Well we agree on that,” Hanji said with a smile. I shook my head at her and threw her arms off of me.

“You don’t think they would be a good couple?”

“Nope!” she declared happily. “Eren might seem like the popular jock to everyone else, but he’s a total goof. I don’t think they would last long even if they did date.”

I smiled lightly. “Don’t go interfering,” I said to her.

She raised her arms up, palms facing me. “You’re no fun. But fine, fine. Can I ask one more question, though?” she said in a pleading tone.

I rolled my eyes at her but nodded.

“When you say you have _feelings for him,_ how deep do those feelings go?”

I fidgeted slightly on the couch, trying to avoid her eyes. It was bad enough that Mikasa knew I’m in love with him, but of Hanji knew I’d never live it down. Not to mention she would stop at nothing to get us together.

“Oh shit…” she said, looking at me with a shocked yet sympathetic expression.

“What?” I barked at her.

“Your silence says enough, Levi. I get it,” she said with an uncharacteristically gentle smile.

“Whatever,” I mumbled, going back to my toast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very appreciative of all the feedback I've been getting- you're all wonderful people!


	5. Eren

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Eren's first day with tutoring with Erwin, and he's having some complicated thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What’s this? A random Eren POV! I'll do this from time to time when I get stuck and need to see what Eren's doing. There is very light Erwin/Eren here. Without spoiling the plot, let’s just say don’t worry about it because like I said since the beginning, we’re shipping Ereri here. Just wanted to warn you.

“Jaeger! Get your ass out of the pool, practice ended ten minutes ago!”

“Alright, alright, calm down coach,” I grumbled from the cool water. Our coach’s name was Keith Shadis, and sometimes I swear he’s more suited for the military than anything else. I gave a few last laps before begrudgingly removing myself from the water and sitting on the side of the pool. Usually I hate getting up early, but early morning swim practices were one of my favorite things. If you got there at the right time, the perfect amount of light would shine in through the windows and make the water stunningly beautiful. I sat with my legs hanging in the water, imagining I was in the ocean instead of the school pool.

“Daydreaming again?” A friendly voice called from behind me. I turned my head around and saw Marco standing behind me, smiling as usual. He was one of the guys on my team, and also the nicest person I had ever met. He had lightly tanned skin and a face full of freckles. He had already changed out of his swimsuit (which I should really get to doing since I was going to be late for first hour in ten minutes).

“I can’t help it, it’s Monday. No one can focus on Monday,” I replied with a shrug. It was only the third week of school, but it was already dragging on.

“I can’t argue with that,” he said in a light tone. “I’m going to head to class, see you there!” he called cheerily before jogging off.

I gave a long sigh before pulling my legs out of the water. I shivered slightly at the cold sensation of the air before briskly making my way into the locker rooms. My tight swim leggings were doing very little to keep me warm, so I was eager to change into my school clothes.

I changed quickly into black jeans and a purple t-shirt and finished up right when I heard the bell ring. I groaned and brushed my hands through my hair. It was still a little damp, but pretty much everyone knew that I had practice in the morning, so I deemed it acceptable.

I hurried to my locker and grabbed my Literature book since it was my first hour. I slammed it shut before jogging towards the second floor staircase. I really needed to start running again before track started because holy fuck I was already winded. I could easily swim laps for hours, but I had to work a lot harder at track. Maybe I wouldn’t even do it this year. After all, I would probably be studying most of the time after school since Armin insisted I take Pre-Calculus even though I severely suck ass at math. Erwin seemed smart enough, but I was honestly a little concerned about his tutoring after what Levi had told me. I mean sure, it was flattering that someone like him would be interested in me, but it might be awkward now that I know. He’s hot as hell, but I don’t think our personalities would get along after a while. Even though he was active in almost every activity our school offered, I couldn’t help but think he was just too normal to handle me.

I must have really been lost in thought because after I reached the second floor, I felt myself run into a small, but very firm body. Before I could stutter out an apology, I looked down to see that it was actually Levi I had run into. I grinned widely and looked down into his piercing gray eyes.

“Sorry, didn’t see you there,” I said with a teasing smile.

He glared at me, and a few years ago I might have shit myself, but I had gotten accustomed to it. I did step back a little because even though it didn’t scare me as much as it used to, he was still pretty damn intimidating.

“Watch it, Jaeger,” he said in that smooth voice I was often envious of. I mean really, how can someone make me scared for my life in one minute, then make me lean into his every word the next? He looked at up my damp hair then frowned slightly, then ruffled it with his hands.

“You’re going to get sick,” he said, smacking the back of my head. I yelped in pain before shaking out my hair. Why I put up with his abuse, I’ll never know.

“We go through this ever year, Levi,” I said with a groan. Honestly, I find it kind of nice that he worried about me so much. He says it’s only because if I get sick, he most likely gets sick, but I knew it wasn’t true. Levi likes to come off as an asshole, and let’s be real- he really is sometimes, but he’s different with me. He thinks I don’t notice, but it’s hard not to. And I’m not really sure why, but I’d always enjoyed the fact that I might be special to him. Not many people can say that they know almost everything about Levi Ackerman, but I definitely could. Except maybe the fact that he’s toned as fuck and neglected to tell me that he’s gay, or at least gayish. Both of those things were kind of a shock to my when I found out last weekend.

But holy shit, was Levi toned. I mean Adonis level here. If I was being completely honest, I couldn’t get the image out of my head all weekend. It’s obvious that he’s attractive to pretty much everyone, but since we grew up together and I thought he was straight, I had never let my thoughts stray down that path. I was actually sort of jealous of his body. Yeah, that’s probably why the image has been stuck in my mind for two days. And as for the sexuality thing, it obviously doesn’t bother me, but it was a shock. I’d never seen him show interest in anyone, so I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.

“You’re late,” Levi said in a scolding tone.

I frowned back at him and poked my finger at his chest. “So are you.”

“I have French, which I already speak. You have literature, and since you haven’t read a book since freshman year, you should be in class.”

“Did you already memorize my schedule, Levi?” I asked, unable to hold back the shit eating grin I was sure was present on my face.

“No,” he responded quickly. “Your book is in your hand.”

I looked down and sure enough, my book was in my hands. With the words “American Literature” written across it. In big ass print. I turned the same shade as a tomato as I awkwardly stood in front of him. I heard him chuckle lightly, making me look up at him sheepishly.

“Get to class,” he said with the smallest hint of a smile. I’d only seen him genuinely smile like five times in our entire life. There were plenty of smirks and some grins, but smiles were almost unheard of for him, so I’d take any kind. I nodded and headed off into the opposite direction, towards my Lit class room.

“Hey, Eren,” I heard him call right before I was about to turn down the hallway. He was turned away from me, but his head was thrown over his shoulder as he looked at me with a look I couldn’t distinguish. “Don’t be late to your Pre-Calc class next hour.”

I gaped back at him as he turned his head and walked briskly to the French room. That ass! He had learned my schedule after all. Even though I was a little pissed that he made me embarrassed over nothing, I felt a warmth spread in my chest. I was sure he couldn’t tell me two out of the seven classes Erwin or Hanji even took, but he had already learned my classes and schedule. I was smiling like an idiot by the time I finally got myself to Literature.

“You’re late,” Armin said as soon as I sat down next to him. This was one of the few classes I got to have with him. We also shared it with Jean, Marco, and two junior girls named Christa and Ymir. They were a couple, but no one could really see why. Ymir was rough and sort of a dick, while Christa was the embodiment of perfection. She was kind, smart, and strong when needed. Although they were different, it was clear they were so in love with each other.

“So I’ve been told,” I said back to Armin, whispering so our teacher wouldn’t get mad. “I went over the time limit in practice then ran into Levi.”

“Like, literally ran into?” he asked.

“Yeah, I was spacing out and walked right into him.”

“You know you’re the only one who could get away with that and still be unharmed, right?” he asked me while opening up his book to whatever page we needed to be on.

“Pretty much,” I said with a wide grin.

I turned back to my book, but I felt as if Armin was still staring at me. He does this freaky thing where he can just look at me, and immediately know something that I don’t. And the worst part is, he never tells me what it is. What kind of friend is that?

“Stop mind fucking me,” I whispered without looking over at him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said back.

“Oh yes you do. Stop or I won’t get you that book you want for your birthday,” I said. I smirked when I flicked my eyes over and saw a huge smile form on his face from the mentioning of it. He was so passionate about reading, it was clear he truly loved it.

“I don’t think you’ve ever smiled at me like that. Even sophomore year after homecoming when we- “

“That’s enough!” he squeaked out. We got a couple looks from the group around us, but I just shrugged and motioned for them to turn back around.

 I had to cover my mouth to stifle my laugh. Like I told Levi, Armin and I had messed around a bit. We both agreed it had been too awkward to try and continue anything after, so we stayed best friends. Nothing really changed between us, probably since neither of us had any feelings beyond friendship, so we made sure it wasn’t weird after. Now I can joke about it, but Armin still gets a little embarrassed.

“And just for the record, you had the same smile on your face when I mentioned Levi,” he mumbled.

I froze in my chair and looked over at him with wide eyes. Sure I was smiling, but only because I felt like I was special to Levi. In a _friendly_ way. It’s a big accomplishment to work your way into his life, that’s all.  “What is that supposed to mean?” I said back defensively.

Armin looked back at me with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, it’s nothing. Just read, you ass.”

My jaw dropped at him. I had only heard Armin curse maybe twice before. “What the hell has gotten into everyone today?”

“Would you just read your books?” he murmured to me, already engrossing himself in his. I knew I had lost this battle, because once you got Armin reading, there was very little that would make him stop.

Without Armin to bother, I was lost in my thoughts again. First Hanji joking around about Levi and I, and now Armin. I guess it may look like we are more than friends to others, but did everyone think that? It wouldn’t bother me, but I’d guess Levi had picked up on it faster than me. I doubted he would want people thinking that about us. I mean he may treat me differently, but I am a brat to him after all. I guess we technically could be together though, right? If he’s into guys, then we could. But since he’s known I’m bisexual for a while now, he obviously doesn’t think of me that way. Which is good, isn’t it? Yeah, we’re friends after all.

For the rest of the day, I was counting down the minutes to lunch. Lunch was definitely interesting this year. It was nice being able to eat with Levi, even though we mostly just made fun of each other for most of the time. Hanji was a handful. I’d said it before, but I’ll never understand her and Levi’s friendship. I’d actually gotten pretty close to her, though. She was crazy and eccentric but she knew how to have a good time. Then of course, there was Erwin. Before Levi told me about his _intentions_ toward me, I never noticed a thing. Sure he was friendly with me, but wasn’t he to everyone? Anyway, he was a pretty cool guy and I enjoyed eating with the three of them.

Finally, the bell rang and I was sprinting down to the lunchroom. I waved to a few people in the hallway that I knew, but otherwise made a straight line to the food. I saw that Levi, Erwin and Hanji were already sitting down. I got my food and walked over to them, taking my usual place by Levi.

“Hi Eren!” Hanji said cheerily. I wish I knew how she always stayed in such a good mood.

“Hey Hanji, Erwin,” I said to them.

I gave a small smile to Levi and he nodded to me. I heard Hanji squeal quietly in front of me, and I turned to her. She was looking at Levi and I, and I gave her a confused look. “What?” I said with a light laugh.

“Oh nothing,” she said in a high pitched voice. Levi was giving her a down right frightening glare, and I was definitely feeling like I was missing something here. Hanji laughed to herself while Levi sighed loudly and went back to his food. I looked at Erwin who was just as confused as I was. He shrugged and went back to eating.

“Okay then,” I mumbled to myself. “Erwin, what time are you going to be over?”

“Right after school alright?” he said with a smile. Damn, he did have a nice smile. Maybe if I figured out what exactly he wanted from me, I could handle this situation better. I’d never date Erwin, but I couldn’t say fucking around with him didn’t seem appealing. And when I really thought about it, Erwin would be a pretty good choice for a boyfriend. I really, really wished I felt more towards him. Maybe if we did screw around a bit we would grow closer?

“Mikasa won’t be home until late, so that works,” I replied.

“What?” Levi asked abruptly.

“She’s eating dinner with Annie’s family,” I said, giving him a confused look. “Is that a problem?” Mikasa has been spending more and more time around her recently. I was happy for my sister, but I couldn’t help but feel a little jealous, too. Everyone around me seemed to be pairing up with their “perfect match,” yet I couldn’t seem to find anyone.

He turned away from me and went back to his usual passive expression. “No.”

Now I was sure I was missing something because Hanji was looking at Levi with a concerned expression. Maybe Mikasa and Levi had planned to do something? I didn’t think they hung out without me, but I guess it’s possible. It seemed like they hated each other, but I know that they don’t. Still, I figured one of them would tell me if they had plans.

The rest of lunch was quieter than usual, and the atmosphere tenser. It was such a weird sensation to be uncomfortable around Levi, because I couldn’t tell you a time before this that both of us couldn’t be normal around each other. Something was bothering him, and I had no idea what it could be. When the bell rang, we all got up and got rid of our trays. I noticed Levi was walking off by himself, so I jogged up to him to talk to him. I couldn’t leave things weird like this.

“Wait, Levi!” I said once I was in earshot. He turned around and looked at me expectedly. I guess I should have planned what I was even going to say.

“Um, are you okay?” Smooth, Jaeger. I’m sure he’ll pour his heart out to you since you asked so nicely.

“I’m fine, Eren,” he said.

” Really? Because you and Hanji are acting like you’re keeping something from me. Which is fine, I can respect that, but you’re acting really weird, even for you,” I said in what felt like only one breath.

He looked at me for a long time before sighing and running one of his hands through his hair. “It’s nothing to worry about, alright? You know I’d tell you if it were important.”

“Okay,” I mumbled. I could visibly see the relief wash over him with my one-word response. I was brimming with curiosity to know what was going on, but I wasn’t going to pry any further. Levi and I never kept secrets from each other, at least that’s what I used to think. But I really did trust him, so maybe letting it go was my only option.

“Now get to history,” he said, giving me that same, almost smile from this morning.

Holy shit, he even knew the afternoon classes.  I was smiling like an idiot again, but I made sure to hide it from Armin when I sat down by him. After all, I couldn’t give him any more material to tease me with. I spent most of the period fucking with Jean until Marco put an end to it. Sometimes I wondered how I can even keep my grades high enough to stay eligible for swimming.

My next hour was biology, and since I didn’t have anyone I knew too well in that class I actually got shit done. Not bad, Jaeger. I was really just looking forward to Mythology. Partly because it was the last class of the day, and also because I loved the group of people I had it with. Connie and Sasha never failed to make me laugh, and of course Levi and Hanji were also there. I actually started to get a bit nervous thinking about being around Levi. He seemed to get over whatever it was that was bothering him, but our last conversation was still sort of off.

I heard the bell rang and began to gather up my things. It was a short walk to my locker and then the Mythology room, so I was usually the first or second person in the classroom. I took my usual seat and tapped my fingers on the desk nervously. People started filing in soon after. Connie and Sasha sat in front of me, and it wasn’t long before I saw the familiar head of raven hair stroll in. I smiled widely at him like I always did when I saw him. Fuck, Armin was right. Well not completely right, I smile because we’re friends. He gave me a half smile that he thinks I didn’t notice before sitting down on my right.

“Hey,” I said quietly.

“Hey, brat.” That’s good; he was using my nickname again. Whenever Levi used my first name, it was usually about something serious or important, or when we were around other people.

“You feeling any better?” I asked cautiously.

He rolled his eyes at me and opened his book. “Don’t be stupid.”

Yeah he was definitely feeling better. “Well fuck you too,” I said back, but not without a light laugh.

I actually paid attention to our class today because I heard our teacher say something about Thor, and who doesn’t love Thor? I mean it wasn’t Marvel Thor, but still. But damn, the Norse gods are depressing.  Levi and I exchanged a couple words like we normally did, and I was glad everything was back to normal.

When the bell rang, we all hurriedly got up and ran to our lockers. The end of school was always chaotic with everyone running around trying to get the hell out of Trost as soon as possible. I said goodbye to Armin who was off to his chess club. Seriously, he dropped my tutoring over _chess._

Speaking of which, I paused at my locker and frowned. Would Levi still take me home since Erwin would be coming over right after? He wouldn’t need to take my sister since she was going straight over to Annie’s. It would make sense of Erwin just drove me, but then again Erwin and I agreed to meet at my house because it was closer since Levi takes me and my sister home. Which, now that I think about it, doesn’t really makes sense because Mikasa has ridden back with Annie most days.

I groaned as I shut my locker loudly. Everything was complicated now, and I was pretty sure it was my fault. I trudged up the steps to the senior hallway. I saw Mikasa who insisted on hugging me in front of the whole senior class, so that was fucking beautiful. Annie chuckled at her display, then quickly took her girlfriend’s hand and walked her out.

I scanned the hallway for either Erwin or Levi. I decided to just go with whoever I saw first. Unfortunately, I saw that both of them and Hanji were all standing together talking, so there went my plan. I took a deep breath and walked over to the three of them with a hesitant smile. Hanji saw my first, immediately pulling me in for a tight hug.

“Eren sweetie! It’s been too long,” she said.

“It’s been like, three minutes, Hanji,” I said, hugging her back.

“Aw, but still,” she replied, releasing me and grinning widely.

I shifted my weight back and forth, not wanting to bring up the topic of who I would be riding with. It would be strange not going home with Levi since we had done it every day for three years. I really wanted to just ask him, but that would probably look weird since it made more sense for Erwin to take me.

“Ready to go, Eren?” Erwin asked me in his deep voice that was definitely not sexy as hell. Jesus I needed to stop with that. I looked over at Levi who was giving me no clues as to what he wanted, then back to Erwin who was smiling brightly at me. My decision was pretty easy.

“Yeah, but I’m going to ride with Levi. God knows what will happen to his OCD if I mess up his schedule,” I said.

Hanji laughed loudly and Levi shoved me against the wall. But I thought I saw a triumphant smirk cross his face as well. Erwin nodded in understanding and gave a throaty chuckle. “Sure. I’ll follow Levi, then.”

We all parted ways and walked out into the parking lot. I threw my things in the trunk of Levi’s car, who I noticed was in a much better mood than earlier. I congratulated myself on making the right decision and choosing to ride with him.

I climbed into his car and settled in, watching as Levi turned on the car and pulled out of the parking lot. I gotta say, Levi did look pretty nice driving this thing. I guess I was staring too long because I saw him make eye contact with me and quirk an eyebrow as if asking what the hell I was staring at. I immediately turned away and turned up the radio, humming along to the song playing.

The short drive home was over before I knew it, and we were pulling into my driveway. I looked over and saw that Levi was drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, waiting for me to get out of the car.

“Well, see you tomorrow,” I said to him while opening his car door.

“See you then,” he mumbled after me. I grabbed my stuff from the trunk and saw that Erwin was already parked on the street and was making his way to my small house. I gave Levi one last wave before he pulled out.

“I don’t suppose you know what he and Hanji are hiding,” Erwin commented once he reached the driveway.

“No idea,” I responded. “Come on, we can go inside now.”

Erwin nodded and followed me up the steps to my house and waited while I fumbled with the key. I could never open it on the first try for some reason. “Shitty fucking lock,” I mumbled to myself.

I heard a deep laugh come from behind me, sending shivers down my spine. I had forgotten he was even with me, but that laugh reminded me immediately. “Levi is rubbing off on you.”

I finally got the door to open and tumbled in. “He actually taught me all the cuss words when we met. In French, too,” I said with a grin. Erwin walked in behind me and I shut the door, leaving us alone in the house.

“That doesn’t surprise me,” he commented.

I walked over to the kitchen table and set my book bag down, motioning for him to sit by me. I wasn’t used to having to tell someone what they could do in my home since all my friends knew it was pretty much a free for all. Erwin sat down next to me and I pulled out my Pre-Calculus book, grimacing as I did so. I really hated math.

“That’s not a promising start,” Erwin said, amusement clear in his voice.

“No, no it’s not,” I agreed with a huff.

We started out going over some basic concepts that I struggled with before even looking at the homework. Erwin obviously knew what he was doing, maybe even more than Armin. I found myself understanding most of what he told me enough so I could at least attempt the problems on my own. As far as tutors go, he was pretty great. Although I was able to distract him more than Armin since he wasn’t used to my random thoughts and interjections. Armin would usually hit me with a book and tell me to re do the problem, while Erwin would only give me a small smile and allow me my break.

After about a half hour, I got a little distracted watching him. Like I said, he was hot as hell. And even though I didn’t feel any emotional connection to him, that didn’t mean I wasn’t physically attracted to him. And I hadn’t done anything remotely sexual since last year with this girl named Mina who became a huge pain in the ass, so I stopped that.

“Eren?” Erwin said, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I realized I must have been staring at him like an idiot for god knows how long, causing me to blush and turn back to my book. “Hmm?” I said.

“You seemed…distracted.” I swear he lowered his voice intentionally, causing me to let out a shaky breath. Honestly, I hated what he did to me. It’s such a strange feeling when someone you have no interest in dating can make you so flustered.

I gave a small laugh and rubbed the back of my neck with one of my hands. “Maybe you’re right. Think we can take a snack break? I’m sort of starving.” Honestly, I was just looking for a way to get my thoughts away from him.

“Sure, sounds good,” he replied sincerely. We had been working for about forty-five minutes, which meant there was only fifteen left in our study time. I think I could deal with that. I got up from my seat and rummaged around the fridge, looking for something edible. My dad hardly ever comes home; just sends us a check in the mail for food and such. Mikasa and I didn’t have a car, so it was difficult to keep the fridge stocked. I ended up just grabbing a pitcher of lemonade and setting it down on the counter. I swear I could feel Erwin’s eyes on me, and I should have been a lot less okay with that.

I sighed to myself and reached into the cabinets to grab a few glasses, setting them down by the pitcher. I filled them up halfway and spilled some of the floor, but since Levi wasn’t with me, I just left it. Something about “Damned brats always slipping over shit.” I realized I would probably need some ice as well, so turned back to the freezer.

I learned two things in that moment. One: Levi was almost always right. Two: Erwin Smith had super hero level reflexes.

Just as I was going back into the freezer, I felt myself slip on the lemonade I had spilled earlier. I reached out to catch myself, but found it that wasn’t necessary at all. Before I even understood what was going on, I felt myself stop falling on account of Erwin’s perfectly toned arms and chest. He had shot up from his chair and caught me right as I was falling backwards. His arms hooked under my own, making me fall gently against his chest. This was the closest I had ever been to him, and I couldn’t say I minded it.

“You alright?” he asked from behind me, concern clear in his voice.

“Yep, just fine,” I said back nervously. I was still up against his chest and couldn’t bring myself to move. Shit, I really needed to get laid if this is all it took to get me all worked up.

“Eren?” He said slowly in his deep baritone voice, dragging out my name. I exhaled slowly, trying to calm myself down. What I should do is stand up straight, walk forward and sit myself back down. Anything else would just lead to awkwardness and me having to find another tutor. Like I said, there’s no way I could actually date him, so if we did do anything, it wouldn’t last. Still, I could feel his breath lightly touching at the skin at my neck, and his strong arms enveloping me from behind. It was would so easy to turn my head and claim his lips.

Fuck it.

I did exactly that. I craned my neck so I was looking up at his impossibly blue eyes. I saw the same desire written in those eyes as mine, so I took it as him granting me permission. I hesitantly brought our lips together, barely brushing them against his own. He deepened the kiss, slotting our lips together greedily. We continued on, moving our lips together tentatively at first, then hungrily, until we needed to pull away for air.

But, it wasn’t great. He was a great fucking kisser and the way he held me up against him was divine, but I didn’t feel anything towards him. I opened my eyes after we pulled away and looked at him nervously.

“That was…” I said, trailing off.

“Underwhelming,” Erwin finished with a slight pout.

I sighed loudly in relief, glad that he felt the same. “Oh thank god,” I said back with a laugh. I pulled farther away from him until I was leaning up against the counter. He laughed as well, running one of his hands through his hair.

“I thought it was just me,” he said, an apologetic smile on his face.

“I mean it was a great kiss, it just felt…”

“Awkward” Erwin finished once again.

I laughed again. “So we can just go back to the way it was, right?”

“I don’t see why that would be a problem. Should we finish up this lesson?” He asked, sitting back down to the table. I nodded and sat down by him. Oddly enough, it wasn’t weird at all after. I listened to him and picked up a few new concepts, and actually got shit done now that I wasn’t distracted by him.  It was strange how just one kiss can reveal so much, but it really did. Erwin is a great guy, but we wouldn’t work. And, that’s fine.

I’ll just have to wait for whoever the right person was

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: That’s officially the end of the Eren/Erwin plot line. Buuut I wouldn't hope for Ereri too soon. Thanks to everyone whose been commenting and leaving kudos, you're the best.


	6. Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feelings are almost revealed and Mikasa steps in to help Levi make up his mind.

I glanced at the clock: 3:27. Three minutes left. Three minutes, then Eyebrows would officially be done tutoring Eren. I was literally sitting there waiting for their time to be up. Fuck, I was pathetic. They were probably just sitting at Eren’s kitchen table, going over math like they had planned.

3:28.

All I wanted to do was call him. I hadn’t told him to come over after he was done, but I just assumed he would at least text me and tell me how it went. Thanks to Shitty Glasses he also knows that there’s something going on. If it was just me acting strange, I could have easily come up with an excuse, but no. She had to fangirl over the fact that she knew I was into Eren. It wouldn’t be long until Erwin and Eren start asking questions now.

This was ridiculous; Eren told me himself he couldn’t see him and Erwin working out. Of course nothing was going to happen with them. Even if it did, I could just kill Erwin.

3:29

“Fucking hell,” I grumbled to myself, sitting back on my bed. Contemplating murdering my best friend wasn’t a new thing, but it was usually directed towards Hanji. Actually I still want edto kill her as well, but not as much as Erwin.

I almost jumped when I heard my phone buzz from my bedside table. I sat up quickly and unlocked it, seeing there was a text from Eren. I frowned slightly.

From: My Bright Eyed Brat

_Need to talk, coming over now._

I ran a hand through my hair as I read over the message. Erwin must have tried something and freaked him out. I felt myself become angry at the thought of Erwin touching him, making me clutch my phone in my hand harshly.

I got out of my bed and walked to the door and unlocked it. I paced nervously for a while in my living area, waiting for him to show up. It wasn’t long until I saw the front door opening, revealing Eren looking anxious about something.

“Hey,” he said weakly.

“Hey,” I returned, watching as he took a seat on the couch.

“Kenny home?” He asked me, running his hands over his jeans.

“Not currently.”

He nodded a few times and continued to fidget on the couch. I walked over and sat by him, making sure to leave a reasonable distance between us. I was itching to ask him what was going on, but he clearly needed time to organize his thoughts.

I decided to wait it out. Eren never could keep anything inside for long, anyway. I leaned back on the couch, just sitting and watching him. His brow was furrowed in thought as he played with the end of his shirt. I noticed how his hair fell just above his eyes, making the turquoise color pop even more. I really couldn’t blame Erwin for being into him.

“So you were right,” he mumbled after a while.

“Obviously. What are we talking about?” I said back.

He gave a small laugh and finally turned his body so he was looking at me. He brought one of his legs up on the couch while the other hung off. “About Erwin wanting to fuck me.”

I unintentionally clenched my fists together which I hope went unnoticed by Eren. Damned Eyebrows really did try something, then. And from the looks of it, Eren wasn’t happy about it either. I really want to kill him. “What happened, Eren?” I said back through clenched teeth.

Eren ran his hand through his hair and sat leaned one arm on the couch. “Well, for a while we were just studying. He’s a really good tutor and it was going pretty well. And then I got sidetracked…”  He trailed off and avoided my gaze.

“Sidetracked how?” I asked.

He continued to play with his hair (which was quite distracting) as he talked. “I guess I just got lost in thought, so I got up to get something to eat. And you know our fridge is empty. I got some lemonade out, spilled some, and kind of tripped.” He stopped again, still avoiding my eyes.

Of course he did. I have told him at least ten times to clean up after himself to avoid this, but no. “Just spit it out,” I barked at him. He sighed loudly before beginning again.

“And Erwin caught me. So I’m standing there in his fucking arms like some Disney Princess, not knowing what the hell I’m feeling, but I sort of like it. Okay I _really_ liked it. And I just…kissed him.” His face was blushing brightly as he finished.

I felt my heart constrict in my chest. Erwin didn’t even try anything. _Eren_ made a move. He had chosen out of his free will to kiss someone else. I turned away from him in case my face as giving anything away. I hadn’t even considered Eren going after him. This was worse than Erwin initiating, because it meant that Eren really didn’t have any interest in me, or anyone else besides that Captain America look alike.

“But, it was…weird,” he stated, breaking me away from my thoughts. I whipped my head around, not realizing he hadn’t finished with his story.

“Like, it was a fine kiss, but I didn’t _feel_ anything. And he agreed, so I guess we’re just friends now? I’m honestly not even sure what happened.”

I stopped paying attention after he said that. I don’t know if my limited emotional range can keep up with this constant switching. Never in my four years of knowing Erwin Smith had I ever heard of him wanting someone, then backing off after making out with them. It just didn’t happen, especially not with someone like Eren. But hell, I wasn’t complaining. I felt relief wash over me as Eren continued on, telling me in more detail what happened after. I still felt a burning jealousy over the fact that Erwin got to feel those perfectly pink lips before me, though. I was sure as hell not going to leave them alone again. Who knows what could happen if either one got curious again.

“Do you think we can still be friends?” Eren asked nervously.

“Yeah, he’s good at shit like that. You and Armin are still friends and you’ve done more than kiss,” I added, then quickly tried to block the images of Eren and Armin, because _what the fuck, brain._

“True. Everything is just so complicated,” he said, burying his face in his hands.

“You’re so fucking dramatic,” I said back with a small smile. “What were you even expecting when you kissed him?”

He threw his arms up and sighed again. “I don’t know! Just not absolutely nothing. “

I couldn’t believe it, but I actually felt sorry for Eren. The look of disappointment on his face was enough for me to want to fix whatever happened to him, but I was less than useless in this situation. “I don’t understand, I thought you _didn’t_ want a relationship with Erwin.”

“I didn’t,” he said quickly, “I don’t, but that’s the problem. I thought if I tried, I would start to feel something for him.”

I rolled my eyes and smacked his arm somewhat lightly. “You can’t force that sort of shit, idiot. What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing,” he mumbled, hiding his face in his hands. I scooted closer to him on the couch so our legs were touching and gently removed his hands so I could see his eyes. I could feel my heart beating faster at the contact, but ignored it for Eren’s sake.

“You can’t lie to me, Eren Jaeger,” I said back sternly.

“I know, it’s annoying,” he said with the smallest hint of a smile. “You’re going to think it’s stupid.”

“I think ninety percent of what you say is stupid.”

He frowned at me, but shrugged and continued. “I just see everyone around me so fucking happy and in love, and I guess I want that. I want to know what it’s like.”

Eren never mentioned much about his love life, so this was all new to me. Here I was wishing I wasn’t in love, and all he wanted was to feel it.  Against my better judgment, I reached out to him and brushed the hair away from his face. He looked up at with a dreamy stare as he let me run my fingers through his hair. God, I wish I could do this to him every day. His hair was soft and surprisingly clean. “I’m sure you will be able to know one day,” I answered after he relaxed.

I didn’t even realize how close we had gotten until his head dropped onto my shoulder. I tensed at first, then let myself lean into his touch. I kept running my hand through his hair even after he had closed his eyes.

“Levi?” He said, eyes still shut. “Have you ever been in love?”

If his eyes were open, he would have seen mine widened comically. I prayed that he wouldn’t feel my heart race in my chest at his words. I wanted to tell him yes. I wanted to tell him how amazing it feels to love someone so much you would do literally anything for them, and how much it hurts when you see them hurt. I wanted to explain how your heart goes faster with just one look from them, and how your skin burns when they touch you. It wouldn’t end well. He’d inevitably ask me with whom, and then I’d have to lie.

But I wanted to tell him so fucking badly it hurt. I was tired of lying to the man I love, even if he doesn’t love me back. Maybe it was time to come clean. Sure he might and probably will reject me, but I think it may be better than living like this. I stilled the hand that was still stroking his hair and closed my eyes.

“Yes.”

Everything was quiet after that. I kept my eyes closed shut, not wanting to see if Eren was looking at me or not. If he was, I’m not sure if I could hold myself back. I could just barely feel his breath against my collar bones where his head still sat, so he hadn’t moved away at least. I felt him swallow thickly and tense up as if he was the one who was nervous. His hair tickled at my neck slightly, but I didn’t dare move. Not when his next question could possible change our entire relationship, for good or more likely, worse.

“With who?” He spoke so quietly that I had to strain to hear him. My mouth ran dry and my eyes squeezed together even closer. _Yes, yes I can tell you. But you won’t like the answer._

I opened my mouth to say _you, you fucking oblivious shit_ , when the front door opening made me jump in my seat. Eren flinched when my action made his head fall off of my shoulder. He straightened himself up and I angrily shot my head around to see who had come in.

Kenny stood in the doorway, bags of groceries in both hands. “Hey you two,” he said cheerily.

Oh that motherfucking emotional cock blocking bastard! Thirty seconds more, and I would have confessed to him. Thirty god damn seconds. When would I ever get another perfect opportunity like that? Probably never.

“Hey Kenny,” Eren said back with a smile. He was awkwardly moving away from me like someone just caught by their parents.

“Did I interrupt something?” he asked us, setting the groceries down in the kitchen area.

No, just the confessing of my love to my best friend. No big deal, Kenny. You’re fucking golden. “Not really,” I said back curtly.

“Need some help?” Eren asked him from the couch. I rolled my eyes at his offer, knowing that Kenny was probably lazy enough to accept.

“Sure, get Levi to help too.”

Eren looked over at me, smiled and shrugged at me. He still wasn’t making eye contact with me, so he was still feeling awkward about our conversation. I wonder how long it will take him to bring it up again, and if I’ll be willing to tell him the truth when he did.

We got up and helped him get all of the groceries from his car into the kitchen. We didn’t say anything while we were working, and if the looks from Kenny mean anything, he realized that something was going on. I was getting tired of things being weird between us, honestly. After we finished, Eren and I were standing in the kitchen packing away the food and groceries.

We got done quickly and stood awkwardly in the kitchen. He was leaning against the counter opposite of me, staring at the floor.

“So,” he started, clearing his throat,” Everything is okay with us, right?”

I had to laugh silently at his openness. His eyes were pleading with me, and it’s almost comical how he wears his emotions so plainly on his face. I knew he was going to ask me again eventually, but it seemed like he was avoiding it.

“Yes brat, we’re okay. Like I said, always so dramatic,” I said, stepping out of the kitchen.

He laughed and followed me as I walked into my room, not wanting any more interruptions from Kenny. “Can I stay for a while?” He asked as we walked into my sparsely decorated bedroom.

“Yeah, not like I have anything else to do,” I said, shutting the door behind us.

“I feel so honored,” he said sarcastically, dropping himself onto my neatly made bed.

“You should,” I said back with a smirk.

I moved his legs over and sat down on the end of the bed with him. I started up my TV, assuming he would want to watch something, or fall asleep. We settled back into our usual comfortable silence, and I was glad. It was nice to be able to just sit with him again. Maybe telling him how I felt was the wrong idea. If I could stay like this with him, then it may be better. After all, he deserved more.

I heard my phone go off from the table by Eren, and he reached over to grab it for me. I thought he was going to hand it to me, but instead, he unlocked it with my fucking password and started to look through it.

“How the fuck did you know the password?” I asked him angrily.

“Hanji,” he said nonchalantly.  That raised more questions than it answered. “You got a text from my sister. Or maybe Annie, I’m not sure who you named ‘Ice Bitch’” he said, handing the phone over to me.

I roughly took it away from him and scanned the text. “Your sister. Annie is ‘Ice Bitch’s Bitch.”

_From: Ice Bitch:_

_After I get back from Annie’s can I come over?_

I typed back a quick “yes”, assuming it was to talk about how Eren’s tutoring went. He was obviously curious, looking at me with raised eyebrows.

“It’s nothing,” I said back, pocketing my phone.

He groaned and leaned his head back on my pillows, stretching out fully. “Levi, I hate it when you keep shit from me.”

I sighed loudly and leaned my head back against the wall. If I told him that she was asking about this behind his back, he’d get angry at her. Deep down, I knew she only wanted to help him. She had been through a lot, just as much as Eren, so I cut her some slack when I could. I never told her anything Eren wouldn’t eventually tell her, anyway. “She and I can hang out,” I said back.

This granted me another loud groan, but I could tell he wasn’t actually angry at me. “Alright, I can accept that,” he mumbled.

For the next few hours, we simply hung out at my house. We eventually got bored and went over to his place to play video games and fuck around. When we got hungry we ordered a pizza, most of which was eaten by Eren. He talked about the swim team and his group of friends, while I mentioned a few stories of Hanji from biology class. We were probably talking for hours, but it felt like minutes. _This_ is what I would miss if I told him about my feelings and was rejected. Maybe I could get over him, and maybe I would move on, but I would never be able to replace him. I knew that he was the only one I could be like this around. Was it really worth jeopardizing?

We were sitting in Eren’s room again (after pizza and talking in the living room, we went back to video games) when the door was heard opening.

“That would be Mikasa,” Eren said, pausing the game and looking over at me.

“Right,” I murmured.

I heard him chuckle beside me, which prompted me to look over at him. “What?”

“Levi,” he said exasperatedly, “its fine if you hang out with her.” He was giving me his most genuine smile with those big fucking eyes of his.

“I know it is,” I snapped back. Instead of getting angry at my reaction, it only made him laugh more and lean back against the wall. I rolled my eyes at him as I got up and left his bedroom, saying a quick goodbye before shutting his door. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for whatever Mikasa was going to talk about, even though I was pretty sure I already knew.

I heard her shuffling around in the kitchen as I made my way down the hallway. I walked briskly to the kitchen where I saw her putting away a few things. There was no reason for her to know that I was here, so before I scared the shit out of her, I stopped in the doorway and cleared my throat.

She stopped what she was doing and whipped her head around. Her glare was almost as intense as mine, but not quite. She relaxed once she realized it was me and pulled up her signature scarf to hide whatever the fuck she was feeling.

“I thought you would be at your place,” she said to me.

“I was, but Eren dragged me here.”

I swear I saw a smirk spread over her lips as she turned her whole body towards me and crossed her arms. “Want to take a walk with me?” she asked abruptly.

“Right now?” I responded skeptically. “In the cold ass air, when we could just go ten steps down to my house.”

“Yes,” she said back clearly.

There had to be something wrong with this family. Just when I think I have figured them out, they go and completely fuck up my understanding. “Fine,” I said.

She gave me a passive look, then nodded back. She hadn’t removed her grey coat or shoes yet (which I would have to yell at her for later), so she was already good to go. I walked passed the kitchen and into the doorway where my shoes and light jacket were. I quickly put them on and opened the door. Mikasa came up behind me and shut it after us.

I let her lead the way since I had no fucking idea where she wanted to go as we walked down the sidewalk of our neighborhood. It wasn’t quite dark yet, but the sun was just starting to set, casting a light orange glow over the city. Eren would probably love it. Not a lot of people were out besides us, so it was blissfully quite as we walked along. The leaves were turning bright colors and falling gracefully to the ground.

Oddly enough, I was actually enjoying myself. Mikasa hadn’t said anything and I hadn’t either, but it was fine. I couldn’t tell you the last time I just took a walk to clear my head was. Silently, I thanked the girl walking with me. I often forget how similar we can be, but it makes sense that she would know how to make me feel better because of it.

After a while, I could sense that she wanted to talk, but was holding back because of me. I spotted a small wooden bench a couple paces in front of us and decided to use that as a way to get this inevitable conversation going. When we reached it, I stopped walking and motioned for her to sit beside me. She did, and we once again found ourselves in silence.

“I’m waiting,” I said, looking in front of me.

“Did Eren tell you about tutoring?” she asked bluntly.

“Yep,” I said.

She turned so she was facing me and arched an eyebrow at me, silently asking me to continue. I figured that she would ask me about it. She knew that Erwin and I were friends and that he had taken tutoring him. I could lie and say it was uneventful, but she would find out eventually. “He kissed Erwin,” I said, mimicking her action and facing her.

I saw a brief expression of shock cross over her features before she could recover. Like me, she was obviously not expecting anything to happen.

“But he didn’t like it,” I added with a smirk.

“Seriously?” she blurted out.

“Yes seriously, why the fuck is that so hard to understand?” I said back defensively.

“Well,” she started, brushing away a leaf that had fallen on her jacket, “It’s Erwin Smith. I’m a lesbian and I can see the appeal.”

Her statement actually made me feel even better about the whole ordeal. The fact that even though he was damned near perfect in everyone’s eyes and Eren still turned him down was just a bonus to me. Have I mentioned I’m an asshole?

“By the way, how’d your dinner go?” I asked with genuine interest, surprising myself.

I saw her face morph into a gentle smile, which was what I assumed is what happens to me, before she looked up at me and spoke.

“It was good. I think her family likes me,” she said in a warm tone.

“Of fucking course they do,” I said back.

“I just wish Annie could meet my family,” she whispered while looking at the ground. It was rare for Mikasa to show vulnerability like that, and it catches me off guard every time. I didn’t really know how to comfort her, honestly.

“Annie’s already met them. She’s met your dumbass of a brother, your short asshole of a neighbor, and your feminine mushroom look alike friend. And they all care about you, so there’s your family.”

For a minute, I swore I saw her eyes glassy with tears before she pulled up her scarf and wiped at her eyes. This was way too much emotional bullshit for one day. But, when she looked at me and gave me a rare, warm smile, I couldn’t say I minded.

“Sometimes, you’re not an asshole,” she said back fondly. “And Eren knows that, too,” she added, nudging my elbow.

I paused. “You know, don’t you?”

She snorted. “Of course I do. He’s my brother and you’re one of my closest friends. I’d be stupid not to notice.”

She had been dropping hints all the time, but it felt odd to have my suspicions confirmed. She wasn’t trying to kill me, so that was a good start.

“You ever going to tell him?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I almost did today.”

“Just don’t wait too long. Next time Eren kisses someone, he may like it.”

Her words had more effect on me than she would ever know. I didn’t want to think of Eren with anyone else. I couldn’t see myself letting him be with anyone unless it was me, as selfish as that sounds. So, I  guess she had given me my answer.

“Yeah, yeah,” I said while standing up from the bench. It was getting colder the longer we stayed out, and I was tired from the day. All I wanted to do now is curl up in my bed and have a nice, long sleep. So much social interaction coupled with all of this deep conversation was making me exhausted.

She got up without a word, but it wasn’t needed. The conversation had come to a natural end, and I could see from the rosy tip of her nose that she was also getting cold. The walk back was just as peaceful as before, if not more so. It was just a little darker than before.

We reached the Jaeger’s residence, and I stopped in front of the steps to let her go inside. I had already said goodbye to Eren, so there was no need for me to return to their home. Mikasa stopped right outside their door, then faced me once again.

“If you tell anyone about this, I’ll kill you,” she said. Before I could ask her what the fuck she meant, I was being enveloped in her arms in a tight embrace. I guess my words meant more than I thought they did. I stood awkwardly until I finally returned the hug, albeit tentatively. She released me, and when she pulled away I swore I saw a blush over her face.

“Sure you’re a lesbian?” I asked teasingly.

She scrunched up her nose in apparent disgust. “Yes. And gross, I couldn’t think of you that way.”

” You’ve crushed my heart,” I deadpanned.

She rolled her eyes, then finally went inside, giving me one last wave goodbye. I stopped and let the cool breeze blow over me before turning and heading down to my house. Somehow, everything was alright again. Erwin wouldn’t chase after Eren anymore, things weren’t weird between us, and Mikasa and I actually had a decent conversation.

What a weird fucking day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this is getting a bit slow, so I have big plans for next chapter, and the following to come! Thanks for all the support and feedback as always.


	7. Free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My only knowledge of high school swimming comes from a quick google search and a few episodes of Free! So I am sure some of this is wildly inaccurate or at least contains glossed over details.

“You’re coming with me!”

“No Hanji, I’m not.”

“Yes _Levi,_ you are!”

This had been going on for a good ten minutes. Hanji was notorious for not taking no for an answer. This time, I wasn’t relenting. There’s no way in hell she was making me do this, because it was completely fucking out of my comfort zone.

“For the last goddamn time, I’m not going to the swim meet,” I said through gritted teeth.

“But why!?” she whined loudly. “You get to see Eren all wet and mostly naked!”

“That’s the fucking problem!” I yelled without realizing what I had just said. As soon as it was out my mouth, I knew she was never, ever letting this one go. The maniacal gleam in her eyes was enough to put anyone on edge.

She started to laugh softly, trying to keep it down with her hands. It was clear that she was failing, though. She eventually started to laugh hysterically, falling back against the wall of my bedroom where we were seated. She clutched at her stomach and rolled onto her side, looking back at me for the first time since her little outburst started. I was scowling at her, but she laughed harder.

“You-you can’t go to the meet because you’re afraid you can’t keep little Levi from standing at attention, Eh?” she said through her cackles.

I groaned and got off of my bed, starting for the door. I didn’t need to deal with this shit from her, even though I knew her intentions weren’t to piss me off. Or maybe they were; it is Hanji, so there’s no way of really knowing.

“Aww Levi, come back! That’s a totally reasonable concern, but you’re still coming with me,” she said with finality.

I turned around to look back at her. She had calmed down from her laughing fest and was now sitting on her stomach with her legs up in the air behind me. It was so hard to explain why going was such a bad idea. It wasn’t just seeing Eren barely clothed that was the problem. I hadn’t addressed the fact that only a week ago, I almost confessed to him. He still hadn’t brought it up, and I was thinking that maybe for once, he wouldn’t. We continued on like the conversation had never happened, which didn’t suit me as well as I thought it would. He hadn’t even known I was going to say he was the one I loved, so I thought he would at least be curious.

Not to mention putting up with all annoying as hell fans who go just to look at the swimmers. And then of course I would have Hanji mercilessly teasing me throughout the whole night. Well, that is one boner repellant. “Would you stop? I’m staying here tonight.”

A sound familiar to that of a dying animal ripped from her throat as she dropped her head into the mattress. “Think of what it would mean to Eren if you go! You’ll score major brownie points,” she said somewhat muffled by the mattress.

I paused in the doorway and grit my teeth. She wasn’t wrong; Eren would no doubt light up like a fucking Christmas tree if he saw me there. And the last time I was there I was a lot younger, and had a lot less self-control. Damn, Hanji was doing it again; I was slowly coming around to her idea.

“When is it?” I asked carefully.

She stilled and lifted her head up slowly. “Tonight- six, which is two hours from now, and it’s a home meet,” she said quickly.

I shifted my weight on one foot to the other, contemplating whether I was really about to do this. All I would have to do is show up, make sure he knows I’m there, zone out for the meet, and then see him again before I left. No big deal.

“Fine, but not for you,” I said with a sigh.

She squealed loudly and hoped off the bed, running over to me. I tried to run out of the way, but she caught me for a hug before I could get in a safe distance. I definitely won’t have to worry about my thoughts straying if she is going to keep hugging me like this.

“Great!” she said, pulling back, but keeping the hold on my arms. “Oh, and Petra’s coming, but Erwin can’t,” she added.

I shrugged her off of me and nodded. Through the past week, things were much better between Eren and Erwin. They had both gone back to being friends quite easily, and it seemed as if they were content staying that way. There wasn’t any more nausea inducing flirting from Erwin, or any more blushing from Eren.

“Oh Levi, I have to pick out what you’re going to wear!” And with that, she sprinted off into my closet and wildly flipped through my clothes.

“It’s a school function so I’ll just wear the school sweatshirt or something,” I grumbled, walking over and grabbing her by the back of her plaid shirt. I tried pulling her out of the closet, but she was surprisingly sturdy.

“No way! If you are going to be distracted by Eren, then he is going to be distracted by you,” she said, eyeing every piece of clothing in my closet. “Don’t you have anything but black and…darker black?”

“Not really,” I answered, letting go of her and leaning back on the wall, letting her work. She took some things off of the hangers, put them back, and then took out some others before finally settling on a few things.

“Perfect,” she said, beaming at the clothes in her hands. She shoved them towards me. “Now put these on with your black combat boots and that one grey belt you have.”

I looked down and frowned slightly. I didn’t even recognize the shirt and pants she had thrown down, meaning either she had bought them for me a long time ago, or I bought them myself, but completely forgot. I walked out of the room and to my bathroom. I used to change around Hanji, but she decided to slap my ass one day, prompting me to never let that happen again.

Once I was in the bathroom, I slipped off the black shirt I was wearing and my usual jeans. I picked up the pants Hanji picked out. They were a pair of white skinny jeans, and as soon as I saw them, I remembered she had indeed bought them for me. I sighed and stepped into them. I seriously doubted they would even fit until I finally got myself squeezed into them. Next, I grabbed the shirt she had thrown at me. It was a dark blue V-neck that once again, I was almost positive she bought it for me. I put it on and added the grey belt she asked for, then walked out and went to find my boots.

After I had gotten them on, I came back into my room where she was waiting eagerly on my computer chair, legs crossed and head resting on her hands. “Damn, I’m good,” she said with a grin. “Hold on, almost done,” she said, getting up and grabbing something else from my closet. It was a lightweight leather jacket, one that I had actually picked out. I rolled my eyes and put it on.

“Satisfied?” I said back in a bored tone.

“Oh, you have no idea. Just one more thing,” she added once more.

I groaned impatiently and waited for her to go and grab something else, but she only looked back at me. “Put your piercings in,” she said.

I had to break a grin on that one. Technically, Trost High doesn’t allow facial piercings. But this wasn’t really a school day, so I could technically wear them. When Hanji and I were sophomores, it was her birthday, and she wanted to do something “fun, stupid, but safe,” so she decided on getting a piercing. I still didn’t know how she got around the age restriction. I came along because she probably would have gotten a damn face tattoo if I didn’t. She ended up getting her bellybutton done, and I got my left ear lobe done. I actually really liked it, so I went back later to get my eyebrow done as well as a cartilage piercing.

I walked over to my dresser and took all of the pieces, putting the ear on first, then the eyebrow. I went over to the mirror hanging on my door to see her work. The jeans may have been tighter than I thought, which I saying something, but they went along perfectly with the darker colors I had on top. I had to hand it to her, she did well. “You know I look like a punk, right?”

“A sexy punk,” she commented from behind me. “Now come on, it’s my turn. To my house!”

I agreed to drive her and let her leave her car at my house. She took a CD from her car before we left and blasted Taylor Swift for the seemingly endless ride. We finally made it to her house by the third or maybe fifth song, I really couldn’t tell you.

She bounced up the stairs to her house, opening the door with her key. I followed her in and mentally prepared myself for the state of her room. We walked farther into the house and into the dreaded room, her going in first.

I waited on her bed and flipped through my phone, knowing she didn’t care if I was in the room when she changed. It only took her a few minutes before she was clapping her hands together in front of me, ready to go.

She had chosen a pair of maroon jeans and a black and white striped shirt with a pair of black flats. I have noticed that most of what Hanji wears is either unisex or androgynous, which actually made me question her gender the first time we met. She didn’t mind; if anything, she was understanding.

“Not bad,” I said putting my phone away.

“Thanks sweetie. Now, we wait for a few hours, then we’re off!”

For the rest of the time, we stayed in her room (which I could actually do now that it was clean) and waited. She was talking for most of the time, but I tuned a lot of it out. She doesn’t mind when I do that; when she wants me to listen, she lets me know.

It was almost six, meaning we needed to get going. She offered to drive, but I shot her down immediately. If it was at all possible, you don’t let Hanji drive.

She got into my car, and instead of Taylor Swift, she plugged in her phone and listened to some Indy band that wasn’t half bad. The short drive to the school was mostly silent; Hanji was content sitting and humming along to the music. When we got there, I noticed there were already a good number of people there. I didn’t think swimming had as much hype behind it as other sports, but maybe I was wrong. I parked as close as I could before turning off the engine and getting out with Hanji.

“Let’s find Petra,” she said, skipping off toward the school. I couldn’t even agree before she was already out of ear shot.

I walked briskly into the school, trying to find the bat shit crazy person I called my friend. I went in the direction of the pool, assuming she had gone that way as well. As I walked by the locker rooms, I saw a large group of guys huddled around it. I guessed it was the opposing team since they were all arrogantly standing and assessing their surroundings. Were swim jocks a thing?

I rolled my eyes and walked past them, opening the doors to the pool. I was immediately hit by the overwhelming smell of chlorine as I passed through the entrance. It didn’t take me long to get used to it though; Eren would often come home smelling of it.

I scanned the large room, seeing that most people had already taken seats. There were two small rows of bleachers on each side, enough for the swimmers families and the few students who chose to show up and support their friends. I saw that Hanji had already been seated by Petra, who caught my eye and waved at me. I gave her a small wave back and started towards them. Petra chose to dress some school t-shirt, which made a lot more sense to me than what I was wearing.

I walked around the front bleacher, which was mostly parents, and climbed next to Hanji, taking a seat by Petra. Hanji informed me that our school had just finished warming up, meaning the meet would start soon.

“Okay, so who are you trying to impress?” Petra asked once I sat down.

I looked back at her, confusion clear one my face. She took her hand and gestured towards me, as if that was going to clear anything up. I continued to stare blankly at her until she rolled her eyes and laughed. “Oh come on, you never wear your piercings and I’m pretty sure those pants are a size too small. So who is she?”

Hanji giggled when Petra said “she”. It didn’t go unnoticed by Petra, but it didn’t seem like she made the connection. Sometimes I forget how perceptive Petra could be. She obviously wasn’t bothered by the fact that I was interested in someone, so I hope Hanji finally let go of her idea that Petra considers me more than a friend.

“It’s fine if you don’t want to tell me,” She added after I didn’t answer, “I’ll find out eventually.” I saw a devious smile pass between her and Hanji that I was definitely not okay with.

Loud cheering and applause broke our conversation. I saw a couple familiar faces come out of the doors, but couldn’t place a name to any of them. They were all wearing the same blue colored swim pants, or whatever the fuck they were called. And they were just as tight as I remembered. I held my breath, waiting for Eren to come out. It didn’t take long until his tan figure came into view.

Fuck.

His hair was swept into a cap, leaving his eyes on full view. He smiled confidently as he stepped closer to the pool, eyes alight with determination. I tried to keep myself looking at his face, but I failed after about ten seconds. I discreetly (or what I thought was discreetly) dropped my eyes to his torso. I tightened my grip on the bleachers as I drank in the sight. His body had gotten even more defined with age, but not to the point of being off-putting. No, he was absolutely stunning. I let my eyes shift even further to his legs, which were encompassed in the world’s tightest pair of swimming pants I’d ever seen. I know it’s for practical use, but holy fucking hell did his ass look amazing. I felt a sharp pain in my side, causing me to regretfully turn my ahead away from them.

“I’m about to wave to him, so if you don’t want to be caught staring at his admittedly perfect ass, look away,” Hanji whispered to me. I cleared my throat and looked back up to Eren who was now sitting on the side with his team.

Hanji shot up in seat and managed to get the attention of just about everyone in the building. Eren only laughed at her, smiling and waving back to her. Petra gave her own wave, which he also returned. Hanji then grinned devilishly at me and mouthed “get ready” before pointing to her right at me.

Eren tilted his head, then made eye contact with me. I smirked when I saw his eyes widen when he saw me. He was obviously not used to seeing me with my piercings in, and not with whatever the fuck I was wearing right now. He recovered and smiled widely, practically beaming once he realized I was really there at one of his meets.

The other team came out shortly after, and my suspicions were confirmed when I saw they were the same group of guys from earlier. They took their seats as the other side of the room cheered for them. As much as I tried not to openly stare at Eren, I felt myself drawn to him. But he didn’t seem much different; I caught him looking back at me at least a few times.

“No way,” I heard Petra breath beside me.

I flicked my eyes towards her and saw that she was staring at me with her mouth wide open. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I asked.

“It’s Eren, isn’t it?” she asked, much too loudly for my liking. Hanji squealed and clapped a hand over her mouth after she did.

I opened my mouth to reject her idea, but ended up just sighing heavily. It was fairly clear just from Hanji’s reaction and my apparently not so discreet staring that she was right. And it’s getting harder and harder for me to deny my feelings for him, especially not to someone like Petra. Really, she would have been a good person to tell about my feelings anyway.

“Not a damn word,” I ended up replying.

She was beaming and smacking Hanji on the leg now. “Levi, I’ve totally shipped you guys since I saw you around him!” she exclaimed excitedly.

“You what?”

“Ship- as in, I want you two to be together romantically. You know, relation _ship,_ ” she said, giggling along with Hanji.

“Is this another weird anime thing?” Those two aren’t exactly quiet about their love for it, and sometimes it seems like they’re talking in a different language. At least Petra is okay, or maybe more than okay, with the fact that I like Eren.

“Yep!” Hanji answered for her. “Now the real question is, would Levi be the seme or the uke?”

“What the hell does that mean?” I asked defensively. Petra looked like she was deep in thought, humming occasionally.

“I feel like with Eren, it could go either way, but uke,” she said. Hanji didn’t look convinced, starting another deep conversation about whatever those word meant, leaving me even more confused than when I came here. I’d have to google some shit when I got home.

I heard them announce the first event and a couple swimmers from each team stood up and took their places. Eren wasn’t one of them, so I sat back and got to watch. The competitors took off with grace that was beautiful to watch as they crashed into the water.  I didn’t know hardly anything about swimming other than what Eren had taught me, but I could still appreciate the athleticism of it. When we were younger, he found out I never learned how to swim, causing him to drag me to the nearest pool and teach me. It took me a while to get the hang of it, but he was a good teacher.

“What event do you think Eren is in?” I heard Petra ask Hanji.

“Butterfly,” I answered for her. Hanji smirked at me while I rolled my eyes.

The first event ended, and we watched as the swimmers went and looked at their times. Some smiled and let out breaths of relief, while it was obvious that others were unhappy. I think I recognized the guy who got first- he had a friendly face with freckles and I was pretty sure I had seen him around Eren before.

“Marco Bodt,” Petra said. I really need figure out how everyone seems to be reading my mind lately. “He’s a junior.”

I hummed in acknowledgement. I watched as the winner, Marco, went over to his team and was greeted by a chorus of praise. I noticed he and Eren seemed especially close as he enveloped him in a tight hug. I clenched my jaw at the display, trying not to make my mood noticeable.

“He’s also seeing someone,” Petra added with a laugh.

“Shut up,” I shot back. I’d be lying if I said that didn’t make me feel better, though.

Another event was called, and once again, Eren stayed seated. Hanji and Petra were engaged in deep conversation which I was sure I wouldn’t understand, so I didn’t join in. My lack of swimming knowledge didn’t make waiting fort Eren any easier, as the events and scores all ran together as we watched. When I got bored, I stole a glance or two at Eren, but he was too focused on what was going on to notice.

Finally, after the opposing team had just won the last event, I saw Eren get up and walk over to the edge of the pool along with a few of the other members. Our side of the fan section roared as he did; he was obviously a favorite. Hanji and Petra were leaning forward in their seats, and it was almost enough to get a laugh out of me.

Eren was completely focused now, and the fire in his eyes when he was determined to do something came into view. I felt my pulse quicken even though the look wasn’t directed at me. Just as he was about to secure his goggles in place, he stopped and smiled at the floor. Then, he shifted his eyes so they were staring directly into mine. He grinned, then _winked_ and snapped his goggles into place.

I felt heat rise in my face, and I hoped to god no one else had noticed what he just did. Damn him. Damn him and his stupidly attractive face. I was doing just fine until that inexplicable sexy wink. I couldn’t dwell on it long though, because while I was still recovering, they were all diving into the water.

Watching Eren swim was mesmerizing. Even though I have seen it countless times, it never failed to impress me. The way he made it look like it was completely effortless and beautiful at the same time was truly amazing. His body moved gracefully under and above the water, making it seem like he was born in the there.

When he made it back to check his time, a modest smile broke out on his face. It was clear to everyone he had won, but I admired how he seemed to keep a level head about it. He removed his goggles and got out of the pool, giving me a completely different reason to admire him. If his body was nice before, it was fucking perfect now that it was dripping wet. I was beginning to think Hanji brought me here to torture me.

For the rest of the meet, I zoned out whenever Eren wasn’t participating, then devoted my attention to him when he was. Trost was obviously the better school, winning almost every event. If the way Eren practices is the way the whole team does, then it makes perfect sense.

After about two hours, the meet was over, and Trost had won easily. Eren scored the best time in all of his events but one, but he didn’t seem to mind at all. The team ran off to the locker rooms to change, and I was left with Petra and Hanji, who were staring at me with wide smiles plastered on their faces.

“Sooo what’s the plan?” Hanji asked.

“Plan for what?”

“For showing off how hot you look to you know who,” she half whispered.

I rolled my eyes and looked away from her. “Stay out of this. And same to you Petra.”

Petra had her mouth open, ready to interject her thoughts, but promptly closed it and frowned at me. The last think I need is those two working together. Petra is god awful at keeping things to herself, so I’m sure Eren would find out in matter of seconds if they were ever alone together. I’d have to watch that closely.

We all got up and exited into the hallway, waiting for Eren to get changed. I breathed in the non-chlorine filled air. Petra and Hanji kept exchanging looks, which was beyond obnoxious.

“If you two are going to be weird, then just get the fuck away from me,” I said with a sigh.

They looked at each other again, then both shrugged. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. We’ll leave you and Eren alone,” Hanji said, grabbing Petra by the arm and dragging her away. I stared blankly at them, still baffled at how I could call them my friends.

I leaned up against the wall and tried to clear my head. This wasn’t unlike any interaction Eren and I have had before. Except it will be since I was actively trying to get him interested in me for the first time. At least Hanji and Petra left; I couldn’t imagine it going well with those two around.

“Levi?” I heard a familiar voice call from my left. But it wasn’t his usual, confident tone; he sounded almost breathless.

I turned to face him and smirked when I did. He was staring unabashed at every inch of me, only looking away when he saw I noticed. He had changed into a blue t-shirt and sweatpants, so I wasn’t as distracted as when he was swimming. He closed his mouth and turned his face away, but not before I saw the slight blush form over his face. Well fuck, I’d have to thank Hanji.

“You did well,” I said back smoothly.

“Thanks,” he replied, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. “I didn’t expect to see you here. You look…” he trailed off, and once again let his eyes wander over me. I had to hold in a shaky breath as I let myself be shamelessly checked out by him.

When he didn’t finish his sentence, I quirked an eyebrow at him and smiled smugly. Even though it was pretty clear what my going through his head, I wanted to hear him say it. “Well?”

“What?” he said back. I had to laugh at that. And it wasn’t my usual dry chuckle; I full out laughed at his complete obliviousness. I don’t know if it was because I was happy over the fact that Eren was obviously attracted to me or it was just because of Eren being his usual self, but it was the first time I laughed like that in a long time. Eren looked almost startled, which only caused me to lose myself even more.

Eren smiled brightly at me and started to laugh with me. I loved the way his eyes would shine as he did so. I think we were attracting attention because people started to stop and stare at us. Neither of us cared, though.

Eventually we did settle down. Eren leaned up against the wall with me and wiped away a few tears that had come from his laughter. “You have a really nice laugh, Levi,” he commented quietly.

“You only say that because you hardly ever hear it,” I replied.

“No, that’s not it. I don’t think I’d ever get tired of it,” he said back quickly. I don’t think he mean to say it out loud though; his quickly turned his head and cleared his throat after.

“Good was the word I was looking for, you know,” he said after a few seconds of silence.

I snorted and shook my head. “Now you remember. Thanks, brat. Although I have to say,” I turned so that my arm and shoulder leaned against the wall, “I think you looked better out there.”

It was clear from the way Eren tried, but failed, to stutter out a response that he wasn’t used to my compliments. I only regretted my actions for a second, before a shy smile crept onto his face. Were we…flirting?

“We should probably get out of here,” he said, noticing everyone was filing out of the school. I nodded in agreement and we walked together to the front door. I may have been imagining it, but I swore Eren kept stealing glances at me as we walked.

“You want a ride, I assume,” I said once we were in the parking lot.

“Sure, thanks.”

I noticed he wasn’t wearing a jacket even though it was definitely cold enough to need one. And he got pissed at me for not wearing a jacket the first day of school. I thought about letting him use mine, but our height difference would make it useless for him.

After getting Eren in the car, I made sure to turn the heat up to warm him. He hummed in appreciation and sat back against his seat, smiling like an idiot the entire time. Something about seeing him like that made me want to reach out and take his hand, or lean over and kiss him. It was times like this, when his defenses are down and he’s completely comfortable around me when I was most attracted to him. And the annoying part was, it wasn’t just his looks. Everything about him was attractive to me; his passion, his confidence, everything. A thought came into my head, and even though I was ninety percent sure it was going to end badly, I pulled over to the curb and parked.

“What’s up?” Eren asked.

“Want to drive?”

Eren’s face lit up with surprise and happiness and he gaped at me. “Seriously?!”

“I won’t ask again,” I said. “I figure you could use a reward.”

Eren wasted no time in jumping out of the passenger seat and running around the car. I got out a lot slowly, and he was already waiting outside the door, practically vibrating with excitement. I let him get in before I walked around and sat in the side.

“I’m going to have to adjust the seats,” he said, stifling a laugh.

I rolled my eyes and told him to do it. He adjusted everything so he could see, then hesitantly looked over at me. I could see the slight fear in his eyes even though he was so excited to try and drive. He didn’t technically have his license, but I knew he had driven his friend’s cars before. I hoped he at least sort of knew what he was doing.

“You’ll be fine,” I assured him. “I’m not letting anything happen to this car.”

“Right,” he mumbled. He put his hand on the gear shift. But that’s all he did; he wouldn’t actually shift into drive, he simply sat there. I chuckled at him, deciding to help him a little.

I took my hand and placed it over his, trying to ignore the tingling feeling that flew through my arm. “Ready?” I asked.

I looked over at him, and he was blushing profusely.  I was confused at first, then realized our hands were still touching. Was he feeling the same way I was? He finally nodded his head, still not making eye contact with me. I shifted for him, but then regretfully took my hand away. I heard him let out a loud breath; whether it was from the fact that the car had started moving or that I took my hand away, I didn’t know.

Eren wasn’t a bad driver, but he wasn’t necessarily good, either. He was surprisingly over cautious, but I guessed that’s because I kept threatening to kill him if he hit anything. After he got used to it, it went much smoother. He was smiling again, and I found myself doing the same. He looked good driving.

His house came into view, and he carefully pulled into the driveway. He stopped the car, and we both reached for the shift at the same time. Our hands touched again as he put it into park, with my hand overlapping his. Except this time, I didn’t pull away. I needed to feel him, if just for a few seconds more. And he didn’t pull away, either. I felt his hand move under mine, and I thought for sure he was going to awkwardly move away. Instead, he threaded his fingers through mine slowly. I felt my breath hitch.

Eren Jaeger was holding my hand. I heard him swallow thickly, but he kept his hand there, squeezing mine gently. What the fuck was going on? I wasn’t complaining, the exact opposite, really, but was this really happening?

“Thanks for coming, Levi,” he said softly. Neither of us could look at each other. I think we both knew that if we did, we would have to talk about what was going on. “I really appreciate it.”

“Anytime,” I said back just as quietly.

And then, as if Eren had just now realized what was happening, he took his hand back in a quick motion, and cleared his throat. “Um, I’ll see you around,” he mumbled while hurriedly opening the car door.

I watched as he sprinted to his doorway, unlocked the door, and went inside without looking back.

But I wasn’t worried. My hand still felt like it was on fire, but I really, really wasn’t worried. Eren had reached out, and even though I don’t think he knew exactly why, it was enough. I wasn’t surprised that he ran, honestly. He just needed some time to think it through. But for the first time, I thought I may have a chance with Eren Jaeger.

\---

 

Uke:

from the Japanese verb 'ukeru' (receive) it's used in anime/manga and fanfiction for the "bottom" or "passive" in a yaoi/shounen-ai (male/male) relationship.

God dammit, Petra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments and kudos, you are the best! We're finally getting somewhere!


	8. Gray or Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stupid teenage angst begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Eren/Reiner in this chapter, but it’s plot essential and doesn’t go far so it’s all good. Don’t worry my friends, Ereri is coming soon. This is the last time Eren will be paired with anyone else.   
> If you’re interested, the title of this chapter comes from the song Gray or Blue by Jaymay- check it out of you like.

I was fucked. I was _so_ fucked. I don’t know what the hell was wrong with me, but something must be because I’d never had any thoughts outside of friendship for Levi, but now, it’s all I could think about.

I had lied to him that night at the pool. Good wasn’t the word I was looking for; fucking hot as hell was more like it. I knew he had piercings, but he almost never wears them. And where the hell did those jeans come from? I mean, Levi looked good all the time, but holy shit.

And what kind of shit did I try to pull in his car? I held his hand. I _held Levi Ackerman’s hand._ I still don’t know why he didn’t kick me out of his car right then. I honestly didn’t even know what I was doing until after I did it. I guess I work on instinct. Why did he even let me do it? There’s no way he enjoyed it as much as I did. But the thing was, he didn’t pull away. He let me take his hand and drive his car and I just didn’t know what to think anymore.

It had been two weeks since then. I tried to shrug it off as a momentary need for friendly contact, but it had been incredibly hard to just keep it that way. I wasn’t sure if I wanted Levi’s friendship, or I just wanted _Levi._ No, Levi and I are friends, have been since we were little. There’s no way I could feel that way, right? It’s just my overactive hormones acting up since I haven’t gotten laid in like a year.

Besides, Levi told me he had been in love before. I guessed he still was, because someone like Levi doesn’t strike me as the kind of person to fall out of love so easily. I hadn’t asked him about it, mostly because it seemed like something he wanted to keep to himself until I started to pry. Which means, he would never do anything with me. Another small part of me told me that I didn’t ask because I was afraid of knowing the answer.

Thank god it was Saturday. Levi did MMA classes in the morning, and I didn’t know if I could handle seeing him right now. The past two weeks had been pretty normal, but I found my mind wandering to places it definitely shouldn’t when he was around me. And the weird thing was, it wasn’t just sexual thoughts. I wanted to hang out like we normally do, but with his arms around me, or our hands intertwined like they were that night.

_Fuck._

This couldn’t be happening. Levi and I’s friendship meant way too much to me to let this happen. He would freak out if he knew I was even thinking about this. I needed to fix this, and soon. And there was only one way I could think of to see if this is just attraction or something else. I’d have to hook up with someone else to calm my raging hormones. Then, we’d go back too normal. No more weirdness, no more inappropriate thoughts.

I groaned into my pillow on my bed and wrapped myself up in the blankets. That was easier said than done. Sure there are plenty of people who would be willing if I was being completely honest, but I didn’t think that way about anyone in particular. But there was always Armin…

No, I wasn’t going down that road again. Now that we’re older, it was even weirder. Pretty much all of my friends were in relationships besides Armin and Levi, and I wasn’t comfortable enough around anyone else to just causally ask for a hookup. I suppose there was Erwin, but I think it was clear that wasn’t going anywhere.

I had one option left, but I wasn’t exactly keen on it. Jean usually throws parties at his place once or twice a month, and today happened to be one of those days. Most of the school goes, and there is a lot of dancing, fliting, and drinking. Normally, I wasn’t a fan his parties, mostly because it just wasn’t my scene, but it would definitely be a good place for a random encounter. God that sounded weird. At the very least, I could go and drink my troubles away. I had never been a big drinker, but on occasion, I don’t mind it for stress relief. And I was almost positive Levi wouldn’t be caught dead there.

I pulled out my phone and quickly dial Armin’s number. I’d need someone to go with me. After a few rings, I heard him pick up from the other line.

_“Hey Eren.”_

“Hey, Armin. What are you doing tonight?” I asked hopefully.

_“Uh, nothing in particular, why?”_

“Well,” I started, “Jean’s having another party and I want to go, but I may need a ride home.” Armin’s grandfather had given him a car when he turned sixteen, and we were all pretty surprised. His grandfather raised him since he was young, and he wasn’t exactly well off. Anyway, I knew Armin didn’t drink, so he would be able to safely get me back home if I didn’t end up spending the night.

_“I’ll go, but don’t expect me to be social,”_ he said.

“Don’t worry, I’ll have Jean set you up in his parent’s library.” I wasn’t lying; we had made this arrangement before. Armin wasn’t socially awkward, he just much preferred the company of books to people.

_“Works for me. What time?”_

“Like, eight? Not positive on when we should be there.”

_“Okay, I’ll pick you up later. Should I be worried about your sudden interest in partying?”_ he said with concern.

“No, “I said quickly, “I just need to…test out a theory,” I answered vaguely. No one needed to know about my thoughts about Levi until I cleared up that fact that they were just random thoughts that didn’t mean anything.

_“O-kay then. See you tonight.”_ He did not sound convinced.

I hung up and dropped my phone on the bed. Just a few more hours until I could put this plan into motion and forget about the weird thoughts in my head.

After what seemed like an eternity, I was finally jumping into Armin’s car to go to Jean’s. After about four changes of clothing, I decided to keep it simple. I wore a pair of dark was jeans that fit me snugly in all the right places, a light gray sweater that was also form fitting, and a light jacket. Of course I had my converse on as well. I put some gel in my hair and ran my hands through it a few times, making it look like I actually tried to tame my hair.

“You look hot,” Armin commented once we had started towards Jean’s.

“Thank you,” I said back smugly. I noticed Armin wasn’t wearing anything unusual; just his normal jeans and a simple t-shirt along with a blue jacket.

“Going to tell me what this is all about?” He said calmly.

I took a deep breath and fidgeted in my seat. “Eventually, yeah. But not just yet.”

He seemed to accept that answer as we drove along in silence. Jean had a pretty wealthy family, so the drive was far out from where I lived. I wasn’t sure how he can have such big parties so often, but no one complained. I think his parents actually knew about them, because I swore I saw his mom walking around one time while I was there.

We pulled up into the driveway of the large house, and I could tell the party had already started. Loud music could be heard from the outside, and an assortment of cars were parked. I did a quick scan for a particular Mustang, and when I didn’t find one, I was both relieved and disappointed.

Armin and I exited the car and walked up the long gravel driveway to the front door of the house. It was a large glass door on a raised platform. I got there first and considered knocking, but realized this was Jean’s house, and you don’t knock at his place. I opened the heavy door and saw that there was definitely no need for knocking. People were all around, standing and talking or dancing with one another. Armin tentatively walked in behind me; he already looked uncomfortable. I would have to find Jean to get him set up first.

“Let’s find Horseface and get you settled, yeah?” I yelled over the music. Armin nodded vigorously, and I took his arm just so I wouldn’t lose him.

I weaved through one of the large, square living rooms, looking for the two-toned hair wearing asshole of a friend. I moved in between the couches, where a wide variety of people were sitting and drinking, and some even smoking. Jean’s parties were getting more intense, apparently.

We left the living room and were forced into the kitchen where people were being served drinks and food. I looked around and kept my hold on Armin steady, but still couldn’t find him. I growled and tried to find any familiar face. I spotted Sasha guarding the chips and stalked over to her.

“Sasha!” I called, getting her attention.

“Hi Eren!” she said back cheerily. “Oh, and Armin! I haven’t seen you guys here in forever.”

I smiled at her and shrugged. I had always like Sasha, even if her love for food was sort of scary. “We decided to mix things up a bit. Have you seen Jean?”

“Yeah, he and Marco are in the entertainment room,” she said pointing in the opposite direction we had come.

“Thanks!” Armin and I both shouted back at her. We weaved through the kitchen, carefully avoiding those who already had way too much to drink, and walked down the hallway to the room Sasha had pointed to. I eventually got Jean to lead Armin to the library.  

I stood in the large television room, now completely alone to put my plan into motion. Right. Just find someone hot, flirt a little, and you’re good. I needed a drink first.

I pushed past the masses of people in the hallway to get back to the kitchen where the alcohol was kept. I already felt myself starting to get nervous. I didn’t know what the big deal was; I’d done things with both guys and girls before, but something seemed off about tonight. Like no matter who I chose, it wouldn’t matter because there’s only one person who I wanted to be with. I shook my head and walked back into the kitchen. I saw Sasha again, who hadn’t moved from her place from the chips.

“Back so soon, Eren?” she said with a laugh.

“Yeah, except this time I need a drink,” I said.

She laughed again but nodded and held up a finger, asking me to wait. “We talking beer or something stronger?”

I tapped my fingers on the counter and thought for a minute. I didn’t want to be blackout drunk and have sex with someone, but I definitely needed something stronger than beer. “Give me shot or two, but make sure I don’t get too drunk, alright?”

“You got it!” she yelled back. When she returned, it was with two shot glasses. I took mine and thanked her, and drank the bitter liquid quickly. Sasha did the same with hers. I chose to stay with her few a while longer, not yet working up the nerve to go and mingle. I learned that Connie couldn’t come because he was sick, but insisted Sasha go for the food. I rolled my eyes, even though I knew they were a perfect couple.

After a few more shots, I was feeling a lot more confident. I wasn’t drunk enough to do something I would regret (or not remember), but I was loose enough to be a little more aggressive than usual. I left the kitchen and instead went into the large family room that had been cleared out and made into a makeshift dance area. The music was loudest here, and everyone was in the center of the room dancing with one another. A lot of it was more just grinding and dry humping, but I was pretty much looking for the same thing, so I couldn’t judge.

I wasn’t exactly sure how to join the group of bodies, so I sort of just leaned awkwardly by the wall, nursing a beer I had grabbed before I left the kitchen. Okay, maybe I wasn’t ready for this. I’m usually the first to join in for shit like this, but I just didn’t feel up to it. I was about to give up completely when I felt a presence lean on the wall beside me.

“You look a little lost,” he commented in a deep voice. I turned my head and took in his appearance. He was tall, probably around Erwin’s height, and had blonde hair. He was clearly very toned; his tight V-neck leaving nothing to the imagination. I immediately recognized him as Reiner Braun, the quarterback for the football team. We’d hung out before, mostly because we were in the same math class last year and would constantly bug Armin for help. Annie seemed to be close to him, but then again I’d only had a handful of conversations with her and she was dating my sister. Although I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t noticed him before.

“Maybe a little,” I said back, grinning at him.

“We haven’t talked in a while,” he commented, a smile on his lips.

“Probably because you dropped out of math, “I said, turning so I was completely facing him. Even in the dim light of party, I could tell he was smirking at me. It looks a lot sexier when Le-

_No_

“You want another drink?” he asked me, noticing I had just about finished my beer. I should probably say no because I was already feeling tipsy and sort of a lightweight, but the way he was shamelessly staring at me made me want another.

“Only if you have one with me,” I answered back. He laughed openly at this and motioned for me to follow him. I never would have guessed Reiner was into guys, but when he wrapped his arm around my waist to guide me through the crowds of people, I was pretty sure he was.

We walked straight into the kitchen, and I swore people started parting to let us through as soon as they saw Reiner. He was definitely an intimidating guy, but I think most people respect him as well. He let go of my waist, and I was surprised to find I actually missed the contact. Maybe this would work after all.

“Wait here, I’ll grab us something.” I nodded and leaned back against the wall away from the crowds.

I tried to forget everything but Reiner and his amazing body and sly grin, but it wasn’t working. I knew he was hot, that was clear, but I couldn’t fully commit to this idea. I could feel the alcohol running through me, so maybe I just needed to let myself go.

 “You’re looking lost again,” Reiner said, coming into view with two beers.

“I guess it’s a good thing you found me,” I said back. Alright, that was a horrible line, but it seemed to work because Reiner laughed and put his arm right back where it was before.

“I won’t let you go then,” he said roughly, leaning down to whisper it in my ear. I bit my bottom lip to keep myself from releasing any embarrassing noises.

“You know,” he started again, shifting so that he we were almost pressed against each other. “I was at your last swim meet.”

I let out a shaky breath and quirked an eyebrow at him. “Really?” I said back, drawing out my response. “How’d I do?”

“I don’t know,” he answered with a smirk. “I was too busy staring at you to notice if you won.”

So, this was happening. I’d gotten slightly intoxicated and met someone who, at the very least, was interested in me. And if I play my cards right, we could probably hook up tonight. I started to feel myself get nervous at the thought. I’d never had sex with another guy before, even though Armin and I did pretty much everything else. Would Reiner top? Probably, he seemed like the type. I wasn’t opposed to bottoming, I’d even brought some lube in my back pocket, but it still scared me.

No, I came here for a reason, and I needed to see it through. Besides, I wasn’t even thinking about Levi now that Reiner was so close to me. Okay, maybe a little, but that was sure to go away once things get started.

“Want to go somewhere with less noise?” I asked with a bold smile.

He seemed taken aback by my forwardness, but took my hand and nodded anyway. I let him lead me upstairs to where the bedrooms are. Sorry Jean, but this needed to be done. I knew he had like four extra ones, and he usually didn’t lock all of them. It’s his own fault, really.

I felt my pulse quicken the closer we go to the door. The alcohol was calming my nerves, but my heart was racing for a different reason now. After what seemed like an eternity, Reiner opened the door and let me step in first. I took a deep breath and listened as he came in after me. I didn’t even check to see if he had shut the door. It was a pretty normal looking guest bedroom; light blue sheets sat unused on top of a queen sized bed in the middle of the room. A few book shelves filled the left side of the room, while a small writing desk sat on the right.

I felt strong arms circle around me from behind. Reiner trailed his hands up my sides, making me exhale shakily and tilt my head back. He came forward until he was pressed up against my back, and I had to bite down on my lip. I was never good at being quiet.

“You aren’t drunk, are you?” he asked seriously.

“No,” I answered, turning my head to meet his eyes. “Are you?”

“Nope,” he said back with a hopeful grin.

“Good. Then I can do this.” I didn’t wait for a response as I leaned in and connected our lips roughly. I didn’t want to think in that moment; I just needed a distraction. Reiner moved his lips against mine, quickly taking control of the kiss. It was messy and heated and everything I needed.

I turned so we were facing each other and pushed myself flush against his incredibly toned body. I wrapped my arms around him and continued to hungrily move my lips against his, losing myself in the feeling. One of my hands found its way into his hair, and the other behind his neck. We didn’t break the kiss as he grabbed my hips firmly and started to move me backwards.

I felt my knees hit the back of the bed as I lightly fell on it. I was breathing heavily and I’m sure my face was flushed. Reiner guided me towards the center of the bed, and I let him. I propped myself up on my elbows and watched as he loomed over me, eyes filled with lust.

He leaned down and kissed me again, this time slower, and not as lust crazed. It wasn’t something I expected from him at all. I tentatively kissed back, not wanting to let my mind wander. I didn’t know if it was the alcohol or not, but this was already feeling better than it did with Erwin. I could feel my heart beat quicken as I came to realize what was about to happen.

Reiner pushed his hand under my shirt and slowly trailed it upwards. I shivered under the attention. Now we were getting somewhere. At the same time, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down until he was slotted directly above me. As he kept sliding his hand further up my chest, I broke the kiss and nodded, urging him forward.

He took my sweater off with ease, racking his eyes up and down my chest. He ran his hands over my bare abdomen and chest, and I closed my eyes to fully succumb to his touch.

Except it wasn’t his touch I was succumbing to. As soon as I closed my eyes and laid my head back, my mind was filled with images of dark hair, piercing grey eyes, and a low voice. When I felt Reiner brush over one of my nipples with his thumb, I imagined it was Levi sitting over me, teasing me. I let out an embarrassingly loud moan as I felt a mouth latch onto the other one. I couldn’t fight it anymore; my mind was conjuring up images of a certain raven running his tongue over my sensitive chest and looking up at me with his smoldering gaze.

_Levi, Levi, Levi._

My eyes shot open when I realized what the fuck I had just been doing. I sat up from the bed and pushed Reiner away from me, causing him to stare at me with obvious confusion. I couldn’t do this. How I even thought this was a solution was beyond me. I was just thinking of my best friend while almost having sex with someone else. My best friend who was not even into me.  Reiner wasn’t a substitute for Levi, and the fact that I was using him made me feel sick to my stomach.

“Shit, I can’t do this Reiner, I’m so sorry,” I choked out, covering my face with one of my hands.

“Hey, calm down Eren. It’s fine.” He said it with so much sincerity it made me feel even worse.

“No, it’s really not,” I said back weakly. Nothing was fine right now. Fuck, did I really have feelings for Levi? I always knew he was attractive, but it had never gone this far. I must have considering I was just fantasizing about him while an extremely attractive man was about to fuck me.

I heard shuffling from the bed, but refused to take the hand away that was covering my eyes. I didn’t need to see Reiner’s look of annoyance, or anger, or whatever it was he was feeling. How could I ever think using someone like that is okay?

“Uh, I got your sweater,” he said unsurely from the side of the bed. I held my other arm out and felt the fabric land in my hand. Without looking at him, I put on my sweater and ran my hands through my hair.

“Look Eren, I don’t know what just happened, but we’re cool, alright? Seriously, don’t worry about it.”

I hesitantly looked over at him, and he really did seem alright with it. He had his usual smug grin on, but he definitely didn’t seem angry or annoyed. I sighed loudly and sat back against the bed. “I’m really sorry. I was trying to forget about someone…and I guess I couldn’t.”

He nodded, and I swore I saw understanding in his eyes. Had he been through the same thing? Maybe he was doing the exact same thing with me as I was with him.

“I get it. If I’m being honest, I was sort of trying to make someone jealous,” he admitted sheepishly.

I’m so glad it was Reiner who approached me and not some asshole. Although, we were both kind of assholes now that I think about it. “We’re idiots, aren’t we?”

He gave a similarly loud sigh and nodded. “I guess so.”

We sat there awkwardly for a few more minutes, neither one of us really knowing what to do. All I wanted to do is find Armin, and get the hell out of here. I have a lot of feeling sorting to do. I was sure of one thing though; my thoughts about Levi weren’t going anywhere.

“Well Reiner, this has been sufficiently weird, so I think I am going to head home. Good luck with your guy,” I said, getting up from the bed.

He got up from the bed as well. “I think I’ll head out too. And I hope your guy realizes what a catch you are,” he said smiling broadly at me.

I rolled my eyes and headed to the door. “Come on, let’s both get out of here.”

I opened the door and walked out back into the blaring music and obnoxious yelling that was Jean’s party. Reiner and I parted ways, and I found myself alone in the hallway once again. This was a huge disaster of a night. I walked aimlessly down the hallway, looking at the odd pictures framed on the walls as I did. Part of me wanted to run and hide for the rest of my life, while the other wanted me to find Levi and try and sort of what exactly it was that I felt towards him.

I knew the library was on the second floor, but I had no idea which door it was. Armin would probably know what to do if I told him what was going on. Maybe he would be able to shed some light on my feelings. I know he won’t judge me for what just happened, especially since I stopped before anything too much happened.

As I was trying every door, searching for one that was unlocked, I saw that one was left slightly cracked open. That had to be it, then. I walked closer and closer until I could hear faint voices coming from inside. Armin wouldn’t be talking when he had a library full of books to keep himself busy.

I slowed my pace and stopped when I was right outside of the door. I could peer in if I wanted to, but I didn’t want to give myself away just yet. Alright, I was being a nosy shit, but it was their fault for keeping the door open.

“…didn’t realize how far this went.” It was a girl’s voice, one that was very familiar. Still, the door was muffling some of the sound, so I couldn’t be sure.

“Farther than you know.”

I felt my heart stop momentarily at that voice. No amount of muffling could make me forget who it belonged to. It couldn’t be. There was no fucking way that he was here, not at a party like this. I leaned in closer, determined to prove my ears wrong; that it was not who I thought it was.

“I hate seeing you like this, Levi.”

No. No no no. Levi could not be here. Why was he here?! He despised parties and being social in general, so how could this be happening right now? Everything told me that I needed to get away, I was intruding on a private conversation, but I couldn’t move an inch. I was frozen by the door, waiting to hear what was going to happen.

“What do I do?” Levi whispered. He sounded defeated, almost broken, and I wanted to go in there and comfort him. What was happening to make him sound like that?

“I…I wish I knew.” I finally registered the voice; it was Petra. “I just want to help you.”

There was a pause, and nothing was heard from the other room. I was scared out of my mind that someone would see me, but I was also so curious that I had to look at what was going on. I slowly inched forward, holding my breath as I went. I peered around the door until I could make out a few shapes inside. It was dark, so I couldn’t see very well, but I could still get the idea. Levi was leaning on a desk behind him. Petra was in front of him, and they were caught in a deep embrace. Levi had his eyes closed tightly, as if he were in physical pain. Petra was running a hand over his back soothingly. I’d never seen him hold someone like that- not even me.

I tore my eyes away. It all made sense now. That day Levi had almost told me who he had been in love with, who he probably still was in love with. It was Petra. It had to be from what I just saw. I had heard the rumors that she had feelings for him, but I didn’t know he felt the same. My stomach felt like it was doing flips in my stomach, and all of a sudden, I couldn’t stand. I slumped against the wall as quietly as I could and covered my mouth with my hand.

Levi loved her. No, he loves her. Why did that hurt do much? An hour ago I was convincing myself that I only thought of Levi because I hadn’t been with anyone in so long. So why couldn’t I breathe? Why did the soft voices coming from the room make me want to cry?

I needed to find Armin. I need to get the hell out of here and clear my head before Levi saw me like this. Whatever was going on with him, he clearly had someone to help him alreadt. With shaking limbs, I picked myself up off of the floor and steadied myself on the wall. I tried to breathe deeply to calm my erratic heartbeat, but it wasn’t working. I kept thinking of Levi, always Levi, but it hurt this time. I wasn’t confused anymore, and that was my problem. I knew how I feel about him, and it wasn’t just infatuation. Fuck, how did this happen?

I blindly walked down the hallway, trying to get as far away from the door as I could. I had no idea where I was going, but it didn’t matter. Only one thought kept running through my mind; find Armin. As I stumbled down the hallway, I noticed a large door that was still partially opened. I barreled in, not even checking what room it was. I got lucky, and it was actually the library.

“Eren?” I heard Armin called from across the room. He sounded worried, more worried than I had ever heard him. I blinked and realized my tears had escaped my eyes and were running freely down my face. I didn’t even notice when it had happened.

“Armin, get me home,” I said in a broken voice.

He quickly got up and nodded solemnly. “Okay, just breathe Eren. I’m here now, okay?”

I wiped away the tears from my eyes and only nodded to him. I need to tell him what happened, all of it, but not yet. Not when I couldn’t even talk properly.

The way out of the house was a blur. Armin let me have a few minutes in the library to compose myself, but it didn’t help much. I went through the crowds of people, not sparing anyone a glance as I did. I just followed Armin blindly, hoping that this night would end soon.

In the car ride home, I let my mind wander to wherever it wanted. I was already so broken, nothing I could think of would make it worse, right? I thought about all the times I’d been upset and crying, I’d always go to Levi. He’d do the same thing each time; ask if he needed to kill anyone, then wrap his arms around me. I’d bury my face in his chest, and I could almost completely forget why I was upset. He was always so warm, so comforting, and he wasn’t even trying. I’d eventually look up at him and his blue gray eyes, and everything was okay again. He was there, always there, and I never even appreciated it. Had I always felt this way for him?

My heart thumped in my chest. The nights I’d share a bed with him, I’d always wait for him to fall asleep. Then, I’d curl up against his small form, holding him close. It felt right. It felt like I belonged there, next to him. Was I too blind to see what that meant?

When we got home, Mikasa was already asleep, which I was thankful for. Armin insisted that he stay over with me, even though I told him to go home. I was glad that he didn’t listen. He curled up in bed with me, something I had only ever done with Levi, which only made my heart hurt worse when I couldn’t stop wishing it was him with me. But I still appreciated it.

When I couldn’t sleep, I woke Armin and told him everything. I told him about the swim meet and holding Levi’s hand. And then the two weeks of me pining over him. I got to the events of tonight, just barely keeping it together as I recounted the conversation Petra and Levi had. Armin listened intently, nodding his head and letting me cry as he did. When I finished, I actually did feel a bit better.

“Well,” Armin said, “I think you need to sit down and have a talk with him.”

“No,” I interjected. “I can’t, Armin. He won’t ever look at me the same if he knows how I feel.”

“That isn’t true, and we both know it. First of all,” he said, getting his serious voice out,” you don’t even know why he was so upset. And second, all Petra and Levi did was hug. Jumping to conclusions isn’t smart.”

I sighed and buried my head in the pillows. He was right- he always was- but I still couldn’t accept it. This is Levi here- he doesn’t go around hugging people because he just feels like it.

“Just get some rest for now, and we’ll figure this out tomorrow,” Armin said, reading my discomfort.

That night, I drifted off into a restless sleep. My dreams were filled with stormy gray eyes.

\--- 

_Two hours earlier_

“I can’t believe she fucking did this,” I said angrily once I had parked my car in front of the large house.

“You really can’t believe Hanji decided to party and get drunk?” Petra said from beside me. We had both received a call from her, letting us know that she was absolutely fine- but would definitely need a ride home. At first I was going to let Petra go alone, but it didn’t seem right after I really thought about it. Jean’s parties were notoriously crazy, and the last thing I needed was for Petra to do something stupid.

“Come on,” I grumbled, getting out of the car. I could already hear the obnoxiously loud music booming from the house.

We got to the door and I didn’t bother knocking. Petra stayed close by me once we were inside. There were at least a hundred people here from what I could see. Fuck, this was a lot of people. I took a deep breath and looked around, trying to figure out where the hell Shitty Glasses was at.

“Any idea where she is?” Petra yelled once we got to a corner of the living room.

“No, should we try upstairs?” I didn’t know much about these parties, but from what Hanji has told me, she usually makes her way around the whole house before the night was over. And since there was no way I would be able to see her in the mass of people, the smaller upstairs would be easier to look for her.

Petra nodded, and I held her arm as we tried to find the stairs. It wasn’t hard, and we quickly found ourselves in the much quieter second floor. There were at least ten rooms, meaning this was going to be a lot harder than I thought.

“You take left, I’ll take right,” Petra said with a defeated sigh.

Luckily, most of the doors were locked, which meant Hanji couldn’t get herself into too much trouble. As I neared the end of the hallway, I saw that one door had been left ajar. Please god, let her be passed out in there so I could go home. I neared the door, and looked in. Hanji wasn’t there.

But Eren was. And he wasn’t alone.

Eren and some blonde fucking asshole were inside, in the middle of a heated make out session. Eren had his arms wrapped around him, holding him tightly as their lips moved together. It was exactly what I had imagined me doing with him for years.

I stopped in the doorway and nearly ran inside and tore them apart, but I couldn’t. I was overtaken by pain, but it wasn’t physical. I had only heard about this kiss with Erwin; I never had to actually witness it. It was fucking torture. I stomach drop in my chest as I watched Eren get pushed farther and farther towards the bed, the blond moving with him at every turn.

I thought Eren and I had made progress. I thought that night when he took my hand he was finally realizing we could be something more than friends. We were so close to getting there, and now he was probably about to fuck some blond giant.

I couldn’t stand to watch anymore. I couldn’t take any of this anymore. How fucking clear did I have to be with him? What would it take to get him to kiss me instead of Erwin, or Armin, or whoever the fuck that was in there?

“Fuck,” I swore to myself. My voice came out broken, and I didn’t even recognize it as my own.

“Levi?” I heard Petra call to me.

“Find Hanji,” I whispered, looking down at the floor. She clearly saw my distress, though and wouldn’t let it go.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

I couldn’t speak anymore. Eren had clearly chosen someone over me again, and it was somehow worse the second time. “Just find her!” I barked. Luckily, Petra was used to my outbursts as she grabbed my hand and led me into an empty room.

My back was pushed against a desk and Petra was standing in front of me, looking nervous. “Please tell me what’s happening,” she implored.

I swallowed thickly and closed my eyes. If I didn’t tell her, we probably wouldn’t ever find Hanji. I don’t know if I could even stand, let alone look for her like this. “Eren’s in there and…” I trailed off, not being able to say the words.

“And what?” she asked gently.

“He was… _with_ someone,” I mumbled.

Her face morphed into understanding as she stood in front of me. She didn’t say much, just stood with me and waited for me to talk again.

“I’m so fucking stupid,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “I thought he actually might feel something after…” I shook my head.

“Levi,” she said quietly, “he could be drunk, or it could be just a fling. Don’t give up on this yet,” she said almost desperately.

I laughed darkly and looked up at her. “I can’t give up on this- that’s the fucking problem. You don’t think I want to? You don’t think I wished I didn’t love someone who will never love me?”

Petra stared back at me, shocked at my words. I realized that I had never actually told her, or anyone else that I was in love with him. Not even Hanji knew about this. Saying out loud right then only made me feel worse. I love him so fucking much, but he would never choose me. It was clear.

“I didn’t realize how far this went,” she mumbled.

“Farther than you know,” I said quietly. She would never be able to understand how much I really love him, not really.

“I hate seeing you like this, Levi.”

She wasn’t the only one. I hated that Eren could make me like this. If he wanted to fuck other people, then I should be able to let him. But I couldn’t- not if I wanted to stay sane. “What do I do?” I asked her, not really expecting an answer.

“I…I wish I knew. I just want to help you.”

Could she? No, probably not. The only person who could help me is myself. I missed my chance and there’s nothing I can do about it. I heard Petra coming towards me, and I flinched back on instinct. She looked almost as bad as I did, but she was still helping me. She reluctantly put her arms around me. I stood there for a while, but finally returned the hug. I held her tightly, enjoying the contact for once. I closed my eyes, and hated myself for wishing it was Eren I was holding.

We eventually found Hanji and brought her home. She would have a lot of explaining to do when she woke up.

Sleep didn’t come for me that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The alternative title for this chapter is “Unrealistic coincidences that make everyone’s life harder.”   
> Don't hate me.


	9. Talk to Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi has had it with Eren's odd behavior. More angst.

Seeing Eren at school Monday was hard. And not I the usual “All I want to do is touch you” way. It was hard because every time I saw him, my brain had to throw the image of him wrapped up in another guy in my face. I knew Eren didn’t do anything wrong, but I couldn’t help myself from feeling hurt about it. He had every right, just like when he went after Erwin, but it was still fucked up.

We barely spoke. And the weird thing was, it wasn’t because of me. Eren was quiet, which was something I wasn’t accustomed to. He would avoid my eyes and give me one word responses to things. Something was wrong, but every time I asked, he gave me a sad smile and told me not to worry. He was fidgety throughout lunch, choosing to talk to Hanji mostly.

I still hadn’t told Hanji about what happened. When she woke up Sunday, she had a downright horrible hangover and could hardly walk without throwing up. I called Erwin, and we took shifts taking care of her sorry ass.

To make things worse, Petra now had the annoying habit of checking up on me every hour. If she didn’t see me in class, she’d text me. If I didn’t reply to her text, she would track me down in the hallway. I get what she was doing, but it was a little much.

I thought that Eren was just having a bad day, but the next day was the same. We didn’t share our usual banter in the car or in class. We didn’t hang out after school. We didn’t even text often anymore. Even Mikasa noticed, but she didn’t seem to have any more information than I did.

Another two days went by, and it was the same behavior. I hung out with Hanji and Erwin to distract myself. I studied more than usual since finals were coming up. I scheduled my MMA classes more often. But, nothing helped the empty feeling Eren had left behind. I used to think that if we weren’t as close as we were, it would be easier. I was wrong.

I often found myself feeling guilty, because something was obviously bothering Eren, but I never really tried to figure out what. Could it be over that night? What if he really had been drunk and I didn’t stop him from making a mistake?

When Friday came around, I pulled into the driveway of the Jaeger house and waited for the two familiar figures to come out. I used to love the mornings with Eren, but now it was just awkward. I wish I knew why, but he refused to tell me.

Instead of Eren coming out of the door first, I saw Mikasa. The weather had gotten significantly colder as the months passed, so she was bundled up in a black pea coat and dark jeans. I didn’t see any sigh of Eren, even as she continued to my car.

I opened the trunk and she put her things in. Then, she climbed into the front seat of my car. Where Eren, without fail, always sat. I stared at her blankly once she shut the door behind her.

“He’s sick,” she said calmly.

I turned away from her and nodded. Worry immediately began to creep up on me. What sort of sick? Or was he just trying to avoid me?

“Stomach flu,” she said simply.

“Oh,” I mumbled back.

The car ride was quiet, uncomfortably so, as we made the short distance to the school. Mikasa was fidgeting with her scarf, which meant she had something to say, but wasn’t going to. It was sad how well we all know each other.

“You can say it,” I said to her. Most of our conversations usually went like this.

She sighed loudly and dropped her scarf. “I’m worried about Eren, and about you.”

I had a feeling this was coming eventually. She hadn’t been outright with her concern, but I could see it written over her face whenever she was around either of us. “Noted,” I said back blankly.

“Come on, Levi. What happened with you two?” she implored.

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel and set my head back against the headrest. “Nothing. I honestly don’t know why he’s been avoiding me.” It wasn’t a lie- I really didn’t know.

“But why aren’t you trying to figure it out?” she said.

I could tell her I wasn’t trying because I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to know the reason behind his weird mood. Maybe he and Reiner (I learned his name once we got back to school) are working something out. I hadn’t really seen them together, but I was sure they could be around each other after school. Eren could be spending less time with me simply because he had a new boyfriend. I nearly stopped the car and screamed at that thought.

“He doesn’t want my help,” I murmured.

She sighed exasperatedly and crossed her arms. “Just talk to him! Neither of you will confront whatever the problem is, so you’re both suffering. “She had yelled which was something I was not used to from her.” I’m going to be at Annie’s after school, so I won’t need a ride. Get your ass over there and _fix_ this.”

It wasn’t very often that I was compelled to do something just because of what someone had said to me. But, she was completely right. If I ever wanted Eren back, I needed to see what was wrong. What if it was something serious, and I’d been ignoring it?

“Alright,” I said in response. She visibly relaxed at that.

It was hard concentrating in school that day. At lunch, Hanji started wailing about Eren being sick and threatened to go over and cook him soup, which I promptly shot down by telling her I would be seeing him. Erwin and Hanji both perked up at the news. They knew I hadn’t been around him as much and weren’t exactly subtle about their inquiries.

By the time Mythology came around, I was missing that little shit. Even though we hadn’t talked much in this class recently, I always appreciated his presence. I took out my phone without really thinking about it and opened up Eren and I’s texts. We hadn’t sent anything for two days.

_To: My Bright Eyed Brat_

_Your sister isn’t coming home. I’m coming over to feed you and shit._

I sent the message and waited for a response. It was stupid how nervous I actually was. After ten minutes, I figured he was either asleep or ignoring me, which is why when my phone lit up from my desk, I grabbed it quickly.

_From: My Bright Eyed Brat_

_Chicken noodle soup?_

I rolled my eyes. So he could be mopey and angsty all week, but still wanted me to cook for him. That should not have made me smile as much as it did.

_To: My Bright Eyed Brat_

_Fine. Don’t throw up on me._

I put my phone away to stop myself from texting anything else. I couldn’t help but feel a little excited over the fact that we were going to hang out again, even if he was sick. I felt something hit my arm, and I looked over to see that Hanji had thrown a piece of paper at me.

She was grinning excitedly. “You’re smiling!” she whispered. “Did something happen with Eren? That’s the only time you smile.”

“No,” I lied. The last thing I wanted or needed was Shitty Glasses coming over an interfering.

She narrowed her eyes at me and leaned farther out of her desk. “You’ve been lying to my about something, haven’t you?”’

“No,” I answered once again. I could tell she wanted to groan and annoy me until she got an honest answer, but she knew she couldn’t in class. She was visibly frustrated at the fact.

“Should I ask Petra then?” she asked with a sly grin.

If she did ask her, I had no doubt Petra would tell her. Like I said, she really can’t need a secret. I didn’t hold it against her or anything, but it was still annoying. I let out a defeated sigh. I’d just let Petra tell her, then.

“Ask her then you nosy shit,” I shot back. She smiled happily and turned back around in her chair.

The last bell finally rang, and I gathered up my things quickly. I wasn’t sure if Eren would have what I needed to make soup, so I would probably have to stop off at the store before. Before I left, Petra and Hanji both wished my luck and hugged me. Somehow, in the five minutes Petra had with Hanji, she had caught her up on everything.

After picking up what I needed to cook him soup, I drove back to our neighborhood. I also got some medication for fevers in case he had one. I was nervous, which was fucking ridiculous because I’d spent most of my life around Eren. I was hoping I could find out what was wrong with him so we could get back to normal. Anything was better than what we were now.

I pulled into the driveway and took a long breath. Gathering up the groceries, I went up the small steps to his house and opened the door. I kicked off my shoes before setting everything down in his kitchen and getting out the pots for the soup. I wasn’t sure when he wanted to eat, so I had to go and ask him. I started towards his room down the hallway, slower than usual.

I knocked twice on the door quietly in case he was sleeping. “It’s me,” I called after.

“Come in,” he said back, His voice was raw and hoarse from the sickness.

I opened the door and stepped in. Eren was lying in his bed, wrapped up in blankets with a tissue box and garbage can next to him. He was paler than usual, and it didn’t look like he had gotten out of bed the entire day. I was immediately worried for him, even though it was probably just the flu.

“You look like shit,” I said, coming farther into the room to stand by his bed.

“You’re too kind,” he mumbled back. He had one side of his face buried in a pillow with his eyes closed. I really didn’t want to get sick, but my instinct to care for him was greater. I sat down on the bed, careful to avoid his body. His eyes shot open immediately when he felt me sit next to him. He sat up slightly and for the first time in days, made eye contact with me. His eyes were glassy from either the sickness or tiredness, but they held the same energy and spark anyway.

“You’ll get sick!” he said as loud as his raspy voice would let him. It was kind of adorable how it sounded along with the wide eyes he was giving me.

“Then I guess you’ll just have to cook for me,” I said with a smirk. It was odd how easy it was to go back to normal with him.

“I don’t think you want me to do that,” he said, laughing a little.

“No, you’ll probably make me worse,” I answered scooting closer to him. I’d have to make sure he didn’t have a fever, even if it meant exposing myself to his germs.

He pouted a little, but didn’t move when I came closer to him. I reached out towards his face and brushed his bangs out of his face. He tensed up and moved his eyes away. I When I touched his forehead, I immediately felt the warmth underneath. “Fuck, you’re burning up.”

I took my hand away and brushed his bangs back into place before getting up from the bed. His eyes followed me as I left the room and went back into the kitchen. I opened the package of medicine I bought and removed two of the pills, then filled up a glass of water for him. Lastly, I got a hand towel out of the cabinet and dampened it with cool water.  He had probably been dealing with this all day without any sort of medication.

I rushed back and sat back down on the bed. I held out the pills, which he took in one hand. He put them in his mouth without even asking what they were, and I handed him the water. He took a drink and swallowed a few times before setting it down on his table.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone how sick you are?” I scolded. I took the cloth in one hand and once again moved the hair away from his face. Slowly, I placed it over his forehead. He sighed in contentment and closed his eyes.

He shrugged and kept his eyes closed as I continued to sooth his burning skin with the towel. “It’s not like anyone could have done anything. Everyone was at school.”

“I would have taken the day off,” I said hurriedly. No matter what was going on between us, I didn’t want Eren to think I would ever abandon him.

He opened his eyes and met mine again. Our faces were closer than I had realized, but I didn’t move. I actually had a valid excuse for being so close as I kept the cloth on his face. He averted his gaze, and I saw some of the color return to his cheeks.

“Um, you think you can make that soup now?” he asked quietly.

I took the cloth away and leaned back. I noticed he relaxed after I did so. Was he uncomfortable being so close to me? That was most definitely a new thing, because he never had trouble before. “Yeah. Don’t get up while I’m gone.” He nodded in agreement, so I left him in his room. I kept the door open so he could call if he needed to.

Making the soup wasn’t hard at all. I made sure to wash all the ingredients thoroughly beforehand and get all the appropriate bowls and utensils out. What was difficult was keeping myself from checking up on Eren every five minutes. Even if he chose someone over me and even if we haven’t talked in days, nothing could lessen my affection and instinct to protect him. I hadn’t even done what Mikasa had asked me to and talk to him because I was so concerned with getting him better.

I managed to keep from going in his room throughout the whole cooking process. Once it was done, I turned off the stove and got two bowls out. I filled them both up and grabbed two spoons from the drawer and set them in the bowls. I took them in my hands and went back into Eren’s room.

It didn’t look like he had moved at all. He was flipping through his phone when I came in. He put it away once he saw me. I handed him his bowl and he sat up, then took it gratefully.

I could easily sit at his desk. If I turned his chair around, we could still talk. But I wanted to be close to him, whether he was sick or not. I moved his legs up with my free hand and saw on the end of the bed, I tucked my legs underneath me and leaned up against the wall.

“Eat or you’ll get worse.” He didn’t need any more prompting than that. He eagerly got a spoonful of the soup and start to eat it. I did as well, not realizing how hungry I actually was.

“I can’t really taste much, but I think this is good,” he said before scooping up another bite.

I kicked his leg with my foot. “My soup is fucking divine.”

Eren almost choked on the bite he had just put in his mouth as he started to laugh. If I wasn’t so happy to see him laugh again, I’d be worried about him spilling his soup on his bed. But I couldn’t even think of anything else but that beautiful sound, even if it was hoarse from his illness.

He calmed down and bit his lower lip as if he was contemplating something. I waited patiently, quietly eating as he figured out his thoughts.

“I…missed this.” he said so quietly I almost didn’t hear him. “Being around you like this.”

I set my bowl down on the table, sensing we were about to finally get into what has been going on. I missed this, too. Just sitting with him and laughing about stupid things and being close without it being strange. I may have seen him every day, but I missed him. “So did I.” I hesitated before I looked over at him, not knowing what to expect. When I did, he looked guilty, like he thought this was entirely his fault.

We should talk, and find a way to fix everything. But in that moment, we were okay again. And I sure as hell wasn’t going to ruin it. He apparently had the same idea, because we didn’t say anything more after that. Nothing of importance, at least. We joked around and made fun of each other. He asked me about school and my friends, and I asked him about his day home. He would smile at me, forcing me to do the same to him. I think we both knew this was far from over, but just for a day, we both needed calmness and normality. I gave him medicine every few hours and agreed to stay the night. Although I wanted to sleep in his bed, I knew I would get his sickness if I did. Instead I took out a sleeping bag from his closet and made a bed on the floor. He was too tired and sick to protest.

It was so easy to pretend everything was alright. I was laying on the floor, trying to get to sleep. I could hear Eren rolling around, so he obviously wasn’t having much luck either.

“Levi, you asleep?” he asked quietly.

“Yep,” I answered sarcastically.

“Should we…should we talk?” I didn’t need to ask about what. And we probably should because things wouldn’t really get better unless we did. But I didn’t want to fuck up this day.

“Not yet.”

He seemed to understand what I meant. He shuffled once more before going quiet.

“Night, Levi.”

I closed my eyes and smiled slightly. “Night. Wake me if you need anything.”

\---

 

By Saturday, Eren had gotten better. I agreed to stay the night again just in case. His fever was down, but he still couldn’t eat much other than soup. I made him get up and shower even though he was adamant about staying in bed. Mikasa came home and gave me a break to go home and shower myself and pick up some food other than liquid, but I was back right after. She didn’t hide her smugness when I went right back into his room. I had even forgot about my MMA classes.

Things were good. Eren and I played video games and joked. I did some homework and gave him everything he had missed Friday. I got him out of bed and made him sit in the kitchen with me to watch me cook. Overall, things were looking up. It wasn’t until Saturday night when Mikasa left that things started to get worse.

As soon as we were alone, Eren started to be strange around me once again. I had sat next to him on his bed to watch TV with him and he immediately tensed. I had come to the conclusion that he was uncomfortable with me being close when we were alone. Why, I had no idea. I was getting aggravated at his constant aversion to me.

We went to sleep that night, I decided to confront him tomorrow. He would probably be much better after two days of rest, so there wouldn’t be anything stopping me. Besides my nervousness that I had somehow fucked up and he was ignoring me because of it, obviously.

Sunday morning, I woke up from my place on the floor and begrudgingly got up. I looked on the bed to check on Eren, but he wasn’t there. I frowned and sat up, not expecting him to get up by himself. Hopefully he was better, then.

I walked out of the room and into the bathroom to brush my teeth and use the restroom. I’d shower at my house when Mikasa woke up to look after Eren. Fuck, I was putting Eren before a hot shower. If anyone knew that, they would think I’d gone crazy.

I went into the kitchen after to see if he was in there. I heard him shuffling around before I even went in. He was standing behind the counter, putting some things out for breakfast. His hair was damp and he had changed clothes, so he must have taken a shower.

“Feeling better?” I asked from the doorway.

He jumped at the sound of my voice, but calmed down when he saw it was me. “Yeah, it must have been like a 24-hour thing.” His voice was clearer and he sounded much more like himself. His skin had also regained its usual tan glow, making him look healthier all around.

I nodded and joined him in the kitchen where he was attempting to make breakfast. If he felt like eating, he was definitely back to normal. I went around him to go to the fridge, and my arm accidentally brushed up against his. He flinched and stepped a good distance away from me right after.

I sighed loudly and ran my hands through my hair. This had gone far enough. “Eren, we are going to talk about whatever the fuck is wrong with you and figure it out now.” It came out a lot angrier than I had intended. Eren was standing a few feet away from me and was looking at me nervously. He leaned up against the wall and avoided my eyes.

“I don’t care how uncomfortable it is,” I added. “God knows I’m horrible at this shit.”

“You should just go, Levi.” He mumbled, staring down at the floor. My first reaction was to go over and comfort him like usual, but from the way he had been reacting to my touch recently, I knew that wasn’t a good idea.

“I can’t do that. Not until you stop being such an angsty asshole. Or at least tell me why.”

He gripped the edge of the counter and let out a frustrated growl. “It isn’t that easy!”

I came a little closer to him, but stopped once I saw he was staring at me. Whatever was wrong, if he felt as if he couldn’t tell me something, I knew I had fucked up. He was usually an open book with me. I was getting seriously worried. “Listen to me,” I said much gentler than before, “It _is_ that easy. I’m not going to judge you.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about,” he snapped angrily. I’d never really heard him get genuinely angry at me before, but he was getting there. I was apparently not saying the right things.

“So what the fuck am I supposed to do?” I asked almost desperately. All I wanted was to help him, but he wouldn’t let me. For some reason, he was completely shutting me out. That hurt a lot more than anything he had ever done to me. No amount of yelling or arguing could even compare.

“I don’t know,” he said back. “Just leave, Levi. Go home to Petra.”

Petra? Why would that even matter? I stood there, confused and feeling as if he knew something I didn’t as he turned to walk away. I came here to fix this, and I wasn’t leaving until I did. I sprinted forward and grabbed his wrists, ignoring the way he immediately tensed and looked away.

“So you’re just going to run from your problems, Jaeger? Because that isn’t you,” I said, not loosening the grip on his wrist. “And what the hell does Petra have to do with this?”

He scoffed at me and forcible removed his hand, but didn’t leave. “I’m sure you’d much rather be with her right now than me.” Hurt flashed across his eyes as he spoke.

“Eren,” I calmed exasperatedly, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He wasn’t making sense, at least not to me, and I was tired of feeling left out.

“Really? You don’t fucking know?” he yelled. “I saw you two in Jean’s house. She was hugging you and you were holding her like she was the most important thing in the world to you. I get it, Levi. She’s the one you’re in love with.” His eyes were alight with anger, but there was hurt masked under there, too.

I stared back at him, completely baffled. How could he think I was in love with her? Even with the situation he saw us in, didn’t he realize how much I cared for him. Fucking hell, the only reason I was even in that room with her was because I was upset over _him._

I felt myself becoming angry, and that was very dangerous territory. He was off fucking someone else but had the nerve to get jealous I was spending time with other people.

“First of all,” I said lowly, “I don’t love Petra, not like that. She was helping me through some shit that you weren’t around for. Second, why the hell do you even care since you were off letting Reiner fuck you!” I was yelling now, but I couldn’t stop myself. Nothing made sense anymore and I was exhausted because of it.

Eren looked at me with angry, but hurt eyes. He had the look on his face that meant he was about to do or say something without thinking first. “Reiner didn’t fuck me!” He nearly screamed. “I wanted him to, but I had to stop him because I couldn’t stop thinking about _you_ the entire time!”

And then, everything was quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god I'm so sorry but if I didn't stop it there it would be way too long. Cliff hangers aren't usually my thing.
> 
> Seriously though, thank you to everyone who has read and commented, it makes my day to hear that you are enjoying this.


	10. Bliss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Eren’s slip up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHECK THE TAGS. OR DON’T IF YOU DON’T WANT SPOILERS. BUT YEAH.   
> Also there is a POV change at the little ---

_“Reiner didn’t fuck me! I wanted him to, but I had to stop him because I couldn’t stop thinking about you the entire time!”_

Those words were stuck on repeat in my mind. Eren was thinking of me when he was with someone else. He was _thinking of me._ I forgot how to speak and breath. I was standing there quietly, trying not to pin him to the counter and take him right there. Eren _wanted me._ There was no other explanation of why he would be thinking of me while about to have sex with someone else.

Hundreds of questions swam through my mind. How long had he felt his way? And why the hell didn’t I notice? Even if he wasn’t in love with me like I was with him, at least some of my feelings were returned by him. And with that thought, all of my anger was replaced with happiness I had never felt before. My heart was beating at a ridiculous speed and I was having trouble breathing, but you couldn’t pay me to care.

He had been ignoring me because he thought I didn’t return his feelings. Here I was hiding mine, while he was struggling with his own. I thought I had been sparing him by not telling him, but I was only making it worse. I had tried avoiding him because of how I felt, and I know it doesn’t end well. I had been such an idiot not asking him what was wrong.

Eren was blushing and had his eyes shut tightly as if he couldn’t take seeing me after admitting that. I quickly realized he might be taking my silence for rejection. I cleared my throat and stepped forward so that we were only inches apart.

“I-I didn’t mean to just say that…” he mumbled. “Forget I said anything.”

“Eren,” I said sternly, cutting him off. “Look at me.”

He swallowed before opening his eyes and finally looking at me. I was sure I was smiling like an idiot, but it didn’t matter to me. Nothing but letting Eren know how fucking happy he just made me mattered. When I saw his green eyes filled with fear and regret, I had to change that. I never wanted to be the cause of such sadness for him again. “Do you have feelings for me?”

His face darkened with that beautiful blush of his. My heart threatened to jump out of my chest, even though I thought I knew what his answer would be. I watched him swallow thickly, and avert his eyes. “This- I don’t…this wasn’t supposed to go this way,” he mumbled.

“Tell me about it,” I said with a small laugh. “Please, be honest with me?”

He still wasn’t looking at me, but he nodded almost unperceptively.

Oh _god._

“It’s not Petra who I love,” I stated again. He tilted his head and looked at me with confusion. I took a risk and came even closer to him until our chests were nearly touching. I saw that one of his hands was resting on the counter, so I closed mine over his. I heard his breath hitch, but this time, he stayed put. The warmth of his hand made my skin alight with fire that only happened when I touched him.

“Do you want to know who it is?” I whispered against him.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his as I awaited his answer. He licked his lips unconsciously, making it hard for me not to lean in and kiss him. Eventually, he nodded once again. It seems words were having trouble coming to him as well.

I squeezed his hand without breaking eye contact and took a deep breath. This was it. I was about to confess to him. I was going to tell Eren Jaeger that I was in love with him. No amount of interruptions or confusion were going to get in the way.

“It’s you,” I whispered, voice filled with emotion I didn’t know I possessed. “It’s always been you, Eren.”

I don’t know who moved first, or how long we just stayed there gazing into each other’s eyes. All I know is that for the first time, I felt Eren’s lips slotted against mine. They were soft and perfect, just like I had imagined. No, they were so much better. We moved together tentatively, but passionately. I felt like staying here for as long as possible. Nothing had ever felt like this. The kiss was innocent enough, but it held so much underneath it. I wanted him to know how much I loved him and how much I cared with that kiss, and it felt like he wanted the same. Even if he didn’t feel as strongly as I did yet, I felt how much he cared for me. Somehow one of his hands ended up in my hair, and mine was clenched in his shirt. Our others stayed laced together, as if it was the only thing keeping us grounded.

After years of suppressing my feelings for him, it was almost too much. When he tightened his grip on my hair, I let out a noise that sounded embarrassingly like a whine. I felt him grin into the kiss, moving his lips against mine firmly.

\---

_Eren_

Kissing Armin was good. As one of my best friends, of course we hade a connection. Kissing Erwin was decent, but there wasn’t anything there. Kissing Reiner was hot, but that was just the alcohol taking affect.

Kissing Levi was bliss.

After my fuck up, I thought he was going to hate me. I thought he would never look at me the same way again and want me out of his life. So when he told me that it was me he loved, my heart had stopped. And when our lips somehow found their way together, it started again.

I had been looking for a spark when I found someone who I cared about enough, but this was pure fire. As soon as our lips brushed, it rushed through my whole body. I couldn’t stop myself from pressing harder against him, trying to feel all of him. I wanted to laugh and scream and cry all at the same time. I may not have had these feelings for Levi long, but once I realized them, they crashed over me. If I was being honest, they had probably always been there, but I had suppressed them thinking he was unattainable. Being able to touch him, kiss him, be around him like this now was a complete happiness I had never felt before. And when he fucking _whined_ into my mouth, I thought I’d cum right there.

“Fucking _finally.”_

The voice from the hallway startled me enough to pull away from Levi. I shot my eyes up and saw Mikasa leaning against the doorway, grinning smugly. I thought Levi would try and hide what just happened, but he only gripped my shirt harder. He kept me pulled flush against him, which was beginning to become a problem because I got way too into that kiss, and tucked his head into my shoulder. It was actually extremely adorable.

“Fuck off, Ice Bitch.”

“Not until you thank me. If I hadn’t told you to talk to him, you wouldn’t be making out in my kitchen.”

I shifted my gaze from Levi, then back to Mikasa. “Holy shit, did you already know?” I asked her.

She rolled her eyes and dropped her head against the door. “Everyone knew but you, Eren. Levi is as obvious as you are oblivious.”

“Once again, fuck off,” Levi growled into my chest. I saw a light blush dusting his face, which once again, was damn adorable. Somehow, I had started to think of Levi as cute.

“Fine. I’m calling Annie and having her pick me up because I don’t need to hear what happens next,” she said, stepping off the wall and back into the hallway.

This time, it was me who was blushing. God, did I want Levi like that, but we had just gotten together. At least I think we did. I should probably ask that soon. He hadn’t detached himself from my chest, which I was absolutely okay with.

“You’re awfully clingy,” I teased.

He lifted his head and smiled at me. Not a smirk or a half smile, but a genuine one. The butterflies quickly returned to my stomach and my heart felt like it was trying to jump out of my chest. “I just got you, brat. I’m not letting go.”

It should have been completely stupid hearing something like that from him, but it was the exact opposite. He was so sincere and genuine it made me lose all of the air out of my lungs. I wrapped my arms around him and held him tightly. If he wasn’t letting go, then neither was I. I couldn’t stop myself as I leaned down and pressed my lips against his again. I couldn’t get enough of him; no amount of contact would ever be enough. I suddenly realized that he had probably felt this way for most of our lives, but couldn’t do anything about it. Part of me wished that he would have told me how he felt, but I wasn’t sure I would have fully realized my feelings if he hadn’t of waited. But it didn’t matter anymore- not since I had him in my arms now.

“Seriously, we eat in here,” Mikasa said exasperatedly as she walked back into the kitchen. I pulled away from him once again with a heavy sigh. As glad as I was that Mikasa was okay with him and I, she was being sort of a-

“Cock block,” Levi muttered against me, finishing my thoughts.

“I’m leaving now, and for the love of god don’t have sex in here,” she said calmly as she walked out of the door and shut it behind her.

We were left alone in the kitchen, but it wasn’t awkward this time. My previous weirdness around Levi had completely faded. It was back to the way it used to be, except now, I could touch him, kiss him, feel every inch of his pale skin, see him as he’s screaming out in-

Okay, calm down, Jaeger. I was starting to feel my pants getting too tight, and I really needed to stop my thoughts. My relationship was Levi was literally brand new- I couldn’t go messing it up because I couldn’t keep it in my pants.

“I guess we should talk about some things,” Levi said, resting his chin on my shoulder.

“Probably a good idea. Want to go in my room?” I asked. I didn’t really realize what I had implied until I saw Levi smirk at me and raise an eyebrow.

“J-just to talk!” I clarified quickly. He chuckled and nodded his head and removing his hand from mine. He was about to detach himself from me when I tightened the grip I had around him. He wasn’t getting away that easily.

“Put your hands around my neck,” I said with a grin. He looked at me skeptically, but did what he was asked anyway. He threaded his fingers together behind me neck, making me shiver. Then, without warning, I bent down slightly and put my hands under his legs, forcing them out from underneath him. His eyes widened as he was taken off the ground, and he instinctually wrapped his legs around my waist. He was heavier than I expected, but it was worth it seeing the surprise written all over his face.

“Dammit Eren,” he said, but not without an amused look in his eyes. I probably should have thought this through more, since our lower halves were now pressed firmly together, giving me just enough friction to be teasing. I bit my lower lip to stop any noise from coming out and started to walk in the direction of my room.

I somehow managed to get us into my room without dropping Levi or pinning him to the wall and attacking him with my mouth. I kicked open my door and walked in, setting Levi down gently on the bed. I sat next to him and pressed our sides together so that we were still close. We had been like this countless times, but this was so much better.

“So,” I started, “boyfriends?”

“Well I fucking hope so,” he retorted indignantly.

 I grinned widely. Levi and are were in a relationship. Levi Ackerman, my best friend of seven years, was my _boyfriend._ Wait, he was, right? “Can I call you my boyfriend, then?” I asked hesitantly. The word came out foreign on my tongue, but it also felt right.

He rolled his eyes, but the smile on his face hadn’t faded. “Yes, you can call me that.”

I pressed my forehead to his and couldn’t stop smiling. I really didn’t think my day would go like this, but I certainly wasn’t complaining. I felt him thread his fingers through my hair, and I let out a content hum. “Levi Ackerman is my boyfriend,” I mumbled dreamily. “Who do you want to tell?” I asked.

“Everyone,” he said without missing a beat.

“Really?” I asked breathily. I never thought Levi would be the kind of person to flaunt his relationship, but I guess I was wrong.

He took his other hand and began to gentle cup my face with it. His thumb traced under my eye, making my heart beat faster and faster as he looked into my eyes with his piercing grey ones. “I see no reason why I wouldn’t want people to know. I’m proud to call you mine.”

I don’t care if he did just unintentionally quoted Game of Thrones, that was by far the sincerest and amazing thing he had ever said to me. And at that moment, I couldn’t stop thinking about what an idiot I was for not doing this sooner. It wasn’t just attraction to Levi; it was so, so much more. I wouldn’t care if we never had sex (but I really, really would like to), just being here with him is all I could ever ask for.

“Levi…” I said, trailing off. “Me too..” It was all that I could think of saying in that moment. It seemed to be enough for him, as he tilted his head and leaned in to breach the distance between us. Whatever happens with us, I know that it is would be impossible to get tired of kissing him. I got bolder and started to push my hand underneath his thin shirt. He didn’t pull away, so I continued. I finally got to feel his glorious abs, trailing my hand over the taut expanse of muscle. I continued kissing him fervently while my hand explored his abdomen up to his firm chest.

I was about to break the kiss and ask him how far he intended to go with this until I felt his tongue run across my lower lip. All my protests died in that instant. I opened my mouth, willingly grating him access. Once I felt his tongue against my own, I moaned into the kiss. He was exploring my mouth in all the best ways, and fuck, he was a really good kisser. I responded by lacing my tongue with his and running my hands over his bare sides, causing a shiver to run through both of us.

A wave of arousal started to pool in my abdomen, and I realized I was getting hard. Levi’s mouth was so hot and his body was so perfect under my fingertips, it was impossible to keep myself calm. As soon as I heard any sign of him not wanting this, I’d stop right away, but for now, I wanted to keep exploring his body. I pushed down on his chest lightly, and he got the message and laid back flat on the bed. I was looming over him as we broke our kiss, and our eyes met again. His lips were swollen from the bruising kiss and he was panting heavily. God, he was so fucking sexy.

But part of me knew that this may be going too fast. I certainly didn’t have a problem with it, but Levi could. The last thing I wanted was to pressure him into doing something he would regret later.

“Levi,” I said, my voice coming out unsure,” Um, should we stop?” Apparently my brain was taking over this situation and doing the right thing.

He glared at me from the bed and rolled his eyes. Without warning, I felt myself being flipped over so that I was the one on my back. I yelped, but it turned into a moan once I felt his hands run under my shirt and over my chest. He took one of my hands and placed it over his heart. His heart was beating erratically, maybe even faster than mine.

“Does it feel like I want to stop?” he asked, smirking at me. Shit.  

That was all I needed to hear. I let out a loud breath and laid my head back against the bed. I trailed my hand down until it was at the hem of his shirt and tugged on it. “Off.”

He grinned and grabbed his shirt and slowly peeled it off. My breath hitched as his pale skin was finally revealed to me. I had seen it before, but it was so much better now that I could touch him. He threw the shirt away from him and put his hands on both sides of my head. “Your turn,” he breathed over my lips.

I stared at him blankly until I figured out what he meant. I hurriedly ripped off of my shirt in a much less seductive matter than Levi. It didn’t seem to faze him, though. He raked his eyes up and down my body with a hungry look in his eyes. I felt completely exposed under him, but not in a bad way.

With the way he was looming over me, shirtless and lust filled eyes, it was exactly like my fantasy of him. I was already achingly hard now, but the thought made my cock twitch. It wasn’t Reiner above me this time- it was actually Levi. He leaned down and kissed my lips softly, then moved downwards. He moved onto my neck, trailing open mouthed kisses all over me. I was nearly shaking under him as he attacked my neck with his skilled mouth. I was slowly falling apart, and as much as I wanted him to continue, I also wanted to make him feel just as good.

I sat up, bringing Levi with me. He was slotted perfectly in my lap, and I grinned at him. I trailed my hand down until it reached the waistband of his sweat pants and tugged. Before I could even get it off, Levi’s hand grabbed my wrist. I looked up at him, question clear in my eyes. “Too much?” I asked.

He averted his eyes and nodded. I could see the struggle in his eyes even as he tried to hide it from me. “Yeah. It’s nothing to do with you, I’ve just never done this shit before. Christ, you have no idea how much I want to, but we literally just got together. Fuck, this is ridiculous.” He was obviously frustrated at his not being ready, but I wasn’t having that. I’d wait for years if that’s what he wanted.  

“Levi,” I said warmly, “It’s seriously okay. We can stop now.”

He shook his head and looked at me with fire in his eyes. “You think you can get me this fucking hard then stop?”

I bit my lip to keep from laughing at his neediness. “You’re right. I think I can take care of this without sex.”

I could definitely work with this. For once, I actually had the upper hand with him. He apparently didn’t have experience with men, and I was sure to show him a taste of how good it could be. Somehow, it made me even more excited.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him close to me as he kissed and nipped at my neck. I ran my hands down his muscular back, lightly scraping my nails down as I went. As I reached father down, I stopped just above his ass. I dipped my hands underneath his sweatpants and felt the thin fabric of his boxer briefs. I couldn’t resist taking the firm muscles in my hands and squeezing. I heard a choked noise come out of his mouth that made me grin triumphantly, getting more confident as I went.

Without warning, I pulled his hips downward, causing him to fall straight onto my straining erection. We both moaned as our clothed lengths came into contact. He was just as hard as I was. Fuck, it was such a turn on to know he was enjoying this just as much as I was.

“You little shit,” he said breathily.

I kept his hips firmly pressed against mine, practically keening at the friction. I was thrusting my hips up, trying to feel all of him. He had given up trying to remain calm now. His eyes were squeezed shut and his mouth was open, panting heavily. He was grinding himself down on me in time with my thrusts.

“Feel good?” I moaned into his ear. Part of me wanted to tear off our clothing so we could share skin to skin contact, but I didn’t want to stop, either. And I wasn’t really sure if I was ready for that. Even though we were close as friends, this was still new territory.  

“O-of course it does,” he murmured. I took one of my hands and brushed my fingers over one of his nipples, making him gasp. I smiled, continuing to massage the bud as Levi made the most sinful noises. I leaned forward and took the other into my mouth, running my tongue over it.  

“ _Shit_. Don’t stop,” he almost begged.

I had never been more turned on in my life. Levi was so sensitive, so responsive, it almost made me question if he had done _anything_ before. The thought that I was the first one to see him like this had me coming dangerously close to cumming.

His hips were stuttering as we continued to rut against each other. I was about to cum in my pants like the horny teenager I was, and from the look of Levi, so was he. I was crying out his name and kissing every part of him I could reach, feeling my end nearing.

“I’m c-close, fuck I’m so close,” he warned me.

“M-me too,” I gasped.

It was so rare to see him lose him composure like this, and it was one of the hottest things I’d ever heard. We may only have been grinding against each other, but it was intense enough to make both of us lose ourselves.

My cock was throbbing with the need for release. With each thrust of Levi’s hips, I could feel his hard length slide against mine. I was hot all over and desperately needed to cum, but I didn’t ever want this to end.

“Levi, I’m-!” I arched my back violently, cumming before I could finish my broken sentence. My mouth was open in a silent scream as I felt my orgasm wash over me. I held onto Levi so tightly I’m sure it was painful, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“ _Eren_ ,” Levi called out as his whole body stilled on top of me. The sight of him cumming was something I would never forget. His brow was furrowed and his mouth was hung open as he lazily milked through his own orgasm.

He dropped on top of me, and all that was heard was the heavy breathing as we both caught our breath. I carted my hands through his hair as I felt his breath fan over my neck.

“Damn,” I said dreamily. “We didn’t even take our pants off and that was the best orgasm of my life.”

He chuckled from atop of me, the sound ruminating through my chest. “Same here.”

I could feel the aftermath of our activities starting to become uncomfortable to me, so I could only imagine what Levi was feeling right now. “Should we get cleaned up?” I asked, not really wanting to move.

“Yeah, we’re disgusting,” he said with a snort.

Levi rolled off of me and sat on the edge of the bed. I saw him grimace when he sat up. I laughed lightly and sat up with him. I had already showered, but another sounded really nice. I’m sure Levi would also, so wouldn’t it be easier if we just showered together?

“So, are you going to shower?” I asked hesitantly.

“Definitely,” he said with a relieved sigh. “Mind if I use yours?”

“No, not at all. But I was just thinking…” I trailed off and cleared my throat. After what just happened, I really should be able to ask this, but it was harder than I thought.

“And?” he said expectantly.

“And I also need to shower.” I looked over and blinked at him, hoping he would get the message. He was staring at me blankly, so I was apparently not clear enough. I took in a deep breath and tried again. “So, both of us need to shower,” I said. Well, that wasn’t exactly any better.

“Are you trying to say something?” He asked, obviously getting irritated about his cleanliness being tested. And they say I’m the oblivious one.

I groaned and fisted my hand into my hair. “I’m asking if we can shower together,” I mumbled, turning my head away. “I mean, just shower.”

“If I remember correctly, we came in here ‘just to talk,’”, he said, amusement in his voice.

I could feel my face heating up the more he talked. How does he always do this to me? I’m usually so confident, but around him I was a blushing virgin. But I wasn’t not even a virgin! I felt a soft touch under my chin that directed me towards his gaze. I lifted my eyes and was met with his, once again leaving me breathless. The emotion was so clear in his eyes; love. I had never had someone look at me like that before, not even my friends.

“Yes, we can shower together. But seriously, hands to yourself.”

I smiled brightly and nodded. I didn’t want to fuck this up by going too fast, but I couldn’t pass on an opportunity to see all of Levi. We got off of the bed and I went to start the water of the shower while Levi got the washer going to clean his clothes. I stood in the bathroom with the door closed, becoming more and more excited by the minute. I stripped off my sweatpants and underwear, leaving me bare. The water had warmed up to a nice temperature, so I decided to step in. Levi could meet me in here because I wasn’t sure that I could take watching him undress. The water felt amazing falling over my heated skin, and I let myself relax for a bit while it ran down my body. A few minutes later, I heard the bathroom door open. I swallowed thickly and smiled to myself.

“I’m coming in,” he called over the falling water.

The curtain was drawn back, but I kept myself facing forward. I waited until he had fully stepped into the shower until I turned my head around, seeing him fully.

Fuck.

Levi was perfect. There was no other way to describe it. From his rippling muscles to his raven hair splaying across his face from the water, it was all too much. I wanted so badly to drop my eyes lower, but I forced myself not to. If I saw anything more, there was no way we would be keeping this shower innocent.

“Shit,” Levi breathed, letting his eyes run over my fully exposed body. “This was a bad idea.” He was far less discreet with his viewing of me, as his eyes dipped to my lower half. I nearly moaned the lustful look in his eyes.

I stepped forward and tilted his head away so our eyes would meet. “Eyes up here,” I said with a shaky tone.

He surprised me by straightening up and kissing me gently on the lips. It was so endearingly sweet. I really never thought I would use those words to describe Levi, but here we were. I kissed him back lightly, careful not to let things get too far.

After that, things calmed down a bit. I offered to wash Levi’s hair, and after some arguing about me not being able to do it to his standards, he finally let me. His hair was amazingly soft as I massaged the shampoo into his dark locks. My height difference gave me the perfect angle to do so. I couldn’t help trailing my hands down his back as the shampoo washed off, but he stopped me before I could go any lower. But that didn’t stop my eyes from drinking in the sight of his naked ass. He was way, way too perfect.

“Your turn,” he said after I had rinsed out his hair thoroughly.

“I just washed it this morning,” I complained as he switched our positions.

“Not well enough,” he said, popping open the shampoo bottle.

I rolled my eyes as I stood in front of him, wondering how he was going to reach my hair. I offered to lean down for him, but he quickly shot that idea down. I felt his hands start to run through my wet hair, making me tilt my head back into his touch. I definitely don’t wash my own hair as well as Levi does. He was completely thorough, working his hands over my hair like a professional.

After he was done, I stepped back into the water to help him rinse out my hair. I closed my eyes as the water cascaded over me. This was probably the most relaxed I had been, well, ever. There was something so perfectly simple about being like this with him.

I didn’t even notice when he grabbed the bar of soap from the side of the shower and lathered his hands up. I felt him run them down my back slowly, massaging me with his hands as we went. I let out a sigh as he continued to wash my shoulders, then back down to my lower back in a rhythmic manner. Seriously, he should be a massage therapist or something. I felt his hands move onto the small of my back, dangerously close to my ass.

“Levi,” I warned. I really didn’t want him to stop, but he was the one what asked to go slow after all.

“Just being thorough,” he said in that husky voice of his that makes me shiver.

He was moving agonizingly slow as he went farther and farther south. He stopped just above my ass, and I held my breath. He slipped them further down, cupping both of my cheeks roughly. I had to steady myself against the wall as he kneaded the flesh beneath his fingers.

“Fair is fair. You grabbed mine earlier,” he said in teasingly. I wanted to give him everything he had wanted and more, but I knew we both needed more time. But I certainly wasn’t going to protest the touches he was giving me now.

“What happened to hands to yourself?” I asked with a smile.

“Your hands to yourself. I can do whatever the fuck I please,” he said, enforcing his point by giving another squeeze. I laughed and let him continue on with his treatment. We didn’t go any farther than light touches and a few more kisses the rest of the time in the shower. He wouldn’t let me wash him like he did me, saying that his cleaning skills were far superior. I didn’t  doubt it.

Afterwards, we dried off our hair and put on some comfortable clothing. Levi had run out of his own clothes, so I let him use mine. The shirt I gave him was oversized and hung off of his shoulder if he didn’t keep it in place. The sweatpants dragged on the floor slightly, and I couldn’t help but find it adorable.

We crashed onto my bed again, content on just laying with each other. He ended up laying with his head on my chest. I smiled down at him. For one of the first times, he looked completely content and relaxed. I couldn’t believe that I was the reason for his mood right now. For years we were best friends, but I never even noticed his attraction to me. Sure he treated me differently, but I thought it was only because I was his first real friend. But that wasn’t it at all. He _loves me._ I knew I had feelings for him, and I probably always had, but I wasn’t sure if I could say those words back yet. I didn’t want him to feel as if I didn’t care about him; I’d do anything for him, but saying it now when I wasn’t completely sure of my feelings would feel disingenuous. I think he knew, because he didn’t push me to say anything at all back. He just wanted his feelings to be known to me. 

I carted my hands through his still damp hair and reached over with my free hand to get my phone from the table. I was surprised to see that we had taken up most of the morning with our…activities, and I had quite a few text messages. Actually, there were a lot more than usual.

I started to read through them, getting more and more confused as I went.

_From: Armin_

_Why didn’t you tell me???_

_From: Horseface_

_i should have guessed you two are fucking_

_From: Hanji_

_YESSSS EREN BABY IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU TWO!!!!_

“Levi?” I said, “Check your phone.”

He begrudgingly leaned over and took his phone from the table. I watched as he went to his text messages and read through all the new ones. He furrowed his eyebrows as he flipped through them. “What the fuck are they talking about?”

“I don’t know, they couldn’t know already, could they?”

“No, we didn’t exactly have time for texting,” he said with a smirk.

I kept looking through them, and nearly all of my friends had sent some sort congratulations or demand for details. The oldest one was a picture message from Mikasa sent to almost everyone we knew. I opened it and my eyes widened with what I saw.

“Did you really mean it when you said you wanted everyone to know about us?” I asked nervously.

“Of course,” he replied quickly.

“Well, then look at what Mikasa sent to a group chat with just about everyone we know in it.” I handed him my phone and anxiously awaited his reaction. Somehow, Mikasa had gotten a picture of Levi and I when we were in the kitchen. We were locked in a deep kiss, completely oblivious to our surroundings. Honestly, I was secretly glad she took it. Seeing proof that this day actually happened made it all the better.

“Everyone got this?” he asked me. I couldn’t tell if he was upset or not- he had his usual passive expression on his face.

“All of my friends and yours.”

He put both of our phones back on the table and turned so we were facing each other. He smiled at me (I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that) and took my face in his hands. “Good. Now they’ll know not to touch you.”

That possessiveness would completely turn me off if it was anyone but Levi. When he said it, it didn’t sound like he wanted to own me- it sounded like he wanted all of me. And I wanted the same. The thought of anyone else being with him physically hurt me, and we had only been together for half a day. “Or you,” I added.

“Tch, they never did before.”

I smiled at him, but started to think about what he had said. Levi had never dated anyone that I know of, but he had to have had experience, didn’t he? He had said that he had never done anything before, but did he mean with a man? I mean, there’s no way I lost my virginity before him. For some reason, I almost hoped he was a virgin. The thought of me being his first was surprisingly hot.

“Can I ask you a personal question?” I said tentatively.

“We just dry humped each other then showered together, I think you’re safe.” He had such a way with words.

I laughed and ruffled his hair. “Right. So, um, I was just wondering about your past relationships.”

He quirked an eyebrow and stared at me blankly. “You’ve been around me since we were ten, did it look like I was ever in a relationship?”

I fidgeted with them hem of my shirt and sighed. Phrasing this was harder than I expected. “No, I know that. It’s just I’ve never seen you interested in someone, but that doesn’t mean you could have...I don’t know, fucked around.” Well, that’s one way to put it.

Levi chuckled, the sound resonating in my chest. “Do you ever think before you speak? Sorry to fuck up your image of me, but I’m not exactly keen on swapping bacteria with anyone but you.”

Holy shit, so I was right. Everything he had experienced was completely new, and I was the one to cause him to feel the way he did. It sounded too good to be true.

“I already know about your hormonal play time with Armin, but is there anyone else I should know about?” he asked playfully.

“Well,” I started somewhat awkwardly, “I’ve never been with a guy before, but I have slept with a girl.”

“Damn, I was wrong about you being a virgin, then,” he said. He didn’t really sound disappointed though, which was good. “Who was it?”

“Mina Carolina,” I said with a heavy sigh.

“Oh god,” he mumbled against me. “I’m legitimately ashamed of you.”

“It was sort of horrible, honestly,” I said with a laugh. It had been an awkward situation for both of us, and we never spoke of it after. “But that’s it. No one else.”

“I can work with that.”

Shortly after, we both had fallen asleep. It was the middle of the day, but it was so comfortable to have Levi laying on my chest, I couldn’t help it. We were so out of it that we didn’t even notice a particularly nosy sister coming into the room and taking more pictures of us cuddling on the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay wow I have a lot of notes because THE SHIP SAILS!!  
> So I did put the majority of this in Eren’s perspective because I felt like we already knew what was going on in Levi’s head. BUT if you are absolutely disappointed I could do an aside in Levi’s but it honestly wouldn’t be much. I can assure you the next smut will be in Levi’s, though.   
> Which brings me to my next note- Levi will definitely bottom at first. I’ve got major plans.


	11. The Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi spend the day together, and plans are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is sort of awkward to me because of the time skips and such. It's mostly filler, but it's adorably fluffy.

For once, I didn’t mind the shrill cry of my alarm in the morning. Monday’s weren’t usually any reason to be happy to get up, but I was. I had left Eren’s house Sunday afternoon after he said he had made plans to hang out with Armin. Since we had spent the whole weekend together, I figured leaving him to be with his other friends was acceptable.

This was the first day the Eren and I would be around our so called friends as a couple. Fuck, that sounded nice.

When I went over to his house, I thought the best case scenario would be that we would back to friends. Now that we were a dating, it still didn’t seem real. The time we spent together Sunday was amazing. All the years I spent thinking we would never be more than friends, and now we were much more. The thought was almost overwhelming.

I hadn’t planned on doing anything with him on Sunday, but we were both so eager that it was almost impossible to stop. Maybe it was too soon, but considering how long I had feelings for him, it really wasn’t. And Eren was never really patient anyway. I don’t know how far it would have gone if I wouldn’t have stopped him. It wasn’t that I didn’t want it- I just wasn’t ready. Casual contact is hard enough for me. I’d have to seriously prepare myself before we did anything more. The image of his arching off the bed, crying out my name will forever be burned into my mind. I can only imagine what it will be like when we actually have sex. But, I’ll make sure we work our way up to that point first.

Part of me wondered why someone like Eren would even be interested in me. And even if he was, how long until he realized it wasn’t worth putting up with all of my shit. I loved him, but was that enough to make him stay? Truthfully, he deserved more than me. But for some reason, he had chosen me anyway. He didn’t say he loved me back- and I was glad. He needed more time to think about our relationship. But he accepted my words nonetheless. And he seemed genuinely happy about it. In the end, I was willing to risk this blowing up in my face. He was worth it.

I walked downstairs after getting myself ready and went into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Kenny was sitting by the counter reading as usual.

“Morning,” I said, walking around him to start the coffee.

He put down his paper and stared at me wide eyed. “Did you just say good morning to me?” he asked in disbelief.

I rolled my eyes and leaned up against the counter, waiting for my morning caffeine to be done. Eren was already making me do things I normally wouldn’t and I hadn’t even seen him yet. I’d have to tell Kenny eventually, and it would probably be a surprise to him. We had never discussed my sexuality before, so the fact that I had a boyfriend might be a shock. But to my knowledge, he wasn’t judgmental so it shouldn’t matter. Not that I cared if he was; I had Eren now, and no one was keeping him from me. “Is that a problem?”

“No,” he said quickly. “Just not used to it. Something good happen?”

I picked up the now steaming mug from the coffee maker and hid my slight smile behind it. “Yeah,” I stated simply.

“Something to do with the Jaeger kid?” he asked me with a smirk.

Fuck, did everyone know? I didn’t even get a chance to answer before he was speaking again.

“The only time you’re in a good mood is when you’re around him, Levi. You don’t have to say anything more,” he said with a smug grin.

At least he approved. I mean, I think he did.

After I left my house, I found myself parked in the familiar driveway. But this day was different. I wasn’t picking up my best friend and his sister- I was picking up my boyfriend and his sister. No one had ever made me like this, and it should be concerning, but it really wasn’t.

When he and Mikasa stepped out of their door, I immediately sought out his eyes. He smiled warmly as a light blush crossed over his features. Fuck, he was the epitome of adorable. My heart starting racing as he got closer to the car. He had dressed warmly in a thick grey sweater and red skinny jeans along with a black jacket. I didn’t even notice when Mikasa entered the car and got into the backseat until she waved her hand in front of my face.

“Quit eye fucking him in front of me,” she almost growled. “Don’t think just because I approve of you two you’ll get away with that shit.” I forgot how protective she could be after she reacted so well yesterday. I opted to only nod and realized this was probably as good as it gets with her. Truthfully, it was nice that he has someone else to look out for him.

Eren stepped into the car and shut the door behind him, then flashed me a wide smile. He seemed more awake than usual, and I could only assume that it was because of the same reason I was in a better mood. Neither of us really knew how to greet each other since Mikasa was with us, but I really, really wanted to kiss him. His plump lips looked so inviting, and he was giving me a look that definitely meant he wanted the same.

“Oh my god, just kiss and get it over with,” Mikasa grumbled from the back.

Eren laughed while I shot her an amused look. I wasn’t wasting time after she said that, though. I leaned over and put my hand under his chin, tilting his head up to look at me. He was the one to lean in and connected our lips softly. I don’t understand how a simple kiss could be so amazing, but it always was with him. It ended way too quickly, but I was sure Mikasa didn’t want to see anything more.

We drove to school quietly, but not in awkward silence like the last week. Eren eventually got bolder and laced his fingers with my hand that was resting on my seat. I quickly returned the gesture and ran my thumb over his hand in circles. Mikasa didn’t comment, but I saw her smile slightly from the rear view mirror.

I parked in my spot and turned off the car. This would be Eren and I’s first day seeing everyone since we were confirmed dating. Even though most of our friends knew, I wasn’t sure if he wanted everyone else to know. As we got out of the car, I wanted to take his hand in mine again, but I held myself back. If he wasn’t comfortable telling others yet, then I would be okay with that.

The three of us climbed the steps to the school with our book bags slung over our shoulders. Eren kept glancing over at me with an odd look on his face, but never said anything. Was he wondering the same things as I was? I thought I made it pretty clear that I didn’t give a shit who knew as long as they kept their hands away from him, but this is Eren we’re talking about.

“You need something?” I drawled out.

He turned to me and opened his mouth to answer, but stopped abruptly. I looked over at Mikasa and motioned for her to go ahead and give us some time to talk. She nodded with a very dramatic eye roll, but listened to me anyway.

As soon as she was a good distance ahead of us, I felt a warm hand place itself into mine. I smiled once I realized what Eren had been wanting to do. He obviously was fine with everyone knowing about us, which was definitely good with me. I tugged on his hand and made him continue walking so we wouldn’t be too late.

“I didn’t want Mikasa to get anymore pissed at us,” he said with a laugh.

“I get that,” I answered, squeezing his hand. “She’s taking it surprisingly well, though.”

Eren opened the door with his free hand and let us both into the main building. “For sure. She isn’t even trying to sabotage us.”

I didn’t know the history behind that comment, but it sounded like something she would do. We continued to walk hand in hand through the school. The stares and whispered conversations were so obviously aimed at us it was almost pathetic. I wasn’t a fan of attention anyway, so it was already irritating to me. Why people couldn’t stay the fuck out of other’s business was beyond me.

I glanced over at Eren, expecting to find either a very pissed off version of him, or an embarrassed one. Instead, he was walking with his head held high, and smiled at everyone he passed. He didn’t seem perturbed at all from this. I quickly realized that when he wasn’t alone with me, he turned into that cocky brat that I knew well. He had lived with attention from his peers his whole life and was clearly enjoying it.

We got to the fork in the hallway where we would need to go and separate ways and get to our lockers. We stopped and stood in front of each other, neither of us wanting to let go. People were still gawking and apparently shocked at us, but Eren didn’t even notice. He was too busy giving me these insanely endearing eyes and fond smile. I could easily melt under that look.

“You’re going to have to let go,” I said.

He sighed and nodded his head. “I know. But before I go, I have to do something.”

I was going to reply, but my breath caught in my throat when he stepped closer to me and set his hand on my hip. We were literally in the middle of a crowded hallway, but he didn’t seem to care in the slightest. He leaned down and brushed his lips over mine so gently and sweetly it was almost too much. It didn’t last long, but I felt every second. I should be yelling at him for doing this in public, but I couldn’t get angry. I was too happy and slightly embarrassed from our display.

“Bye, Levi,” he whispered against my lips. I suppressed a shudder after the low tone of his voice called my name. All the times I had envisioned him saying my name with so much possessiveness, and it was actually real. I felt heat rise to my cheeks, and fucking hell I think I just blushed. I don’t fucking do that. It was glaringly obvious he had done it on purpose after a triumphant smile crossed his features.

I grumbled and turned around, giving a piercing glare to the onlookers. They frantically turned away as soon as they saw me. Fuck Eren and his stupidly attractive face.

I made my way to the senior hallway where my friends were no doubt waiting to question me about my new relationship. Hanji had sent me about fifty texts and called me at least thirty times asking about it. I had been too busy with Eren to reply, but I had similar texts from Erwin and Petra.

As soon as I turned the corner to the hallway, I felt three pair of eyes on me. Well, four if you count Hanji as two.

“Levi. Ackerman,” Hanji called darkly. Holy shit that was terrifying, even for me.

I chose not to say anything, opting to try and stay passive as she was giving me the most frightening glare she could muster. And I have to say, it almost rivaled mine. Hers had a lot more crazy in it, though. Petra was standing beside her, arms crossed over her chest and looking at me like a disappointed mother. Erwin on the other hand actually had some sympathy for me and was giving me an apologetic smile. I hope he wasn’t pissed because of his history with Eren.

“Why didn’t you answer my calls!” she whined loudly. “You get together with your childhood crush and then just leave me out of the loop?” she was getting louder as she ranted, causing all eyes to be on us. “And I have to find out from a group _text message?!”_

“Hanji,” I tried.

“Not done!” she said. Her hands were on her hips now.

“I think you are done,” Erwim said, putting his hand on Hanji’s shoulder. Hanji sighed loudly, but listened to him.

“Fine. Someone else yell at him, then,” she grumbled.

“Oh I think you’ve done enough,” Erwin said with a chuckle. He didn’t seem upset, which was good. Even though I had been pretty angry with him in the past, he really was a good friend.

“If we’re done now, I’m going to get my shit,” I said, pushing past them to my locker. I only hoped Eren was getting as much shit from his friends.

“So are you and Eren dating?” Petra asked enthusiastically. She was leaning up against the lockers, looking at me with pure interest.

Finally, a question I didn’t mind answering. “We are.” I avoided her eyes while I grabbed the books I needed, but I could practically feel the fangirl radiating off of her and Hanji. She and her both let out a highly annoying squeal at my answer.

Before they could as any more questions, the bell rang signaling the start of first period. I exhaled in relief while the girls groaned. “We aren’t done!” Hanji said surely as they both walked away together. I was about to turn and go to French when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“Mind being late to first hour to walk with me to the office?” Erwin asked. I was skeptical at first, but his tone meant it was important. I nodded and started to walk with him. If I was right, this was about Eren. I feel shitty that Erwin was the last to know about my feelings, but I had good reason. He was trying to fuck him after all.

“So,” he started, “Why didn’t you tell me to back off of Eren?”

I raised an eyebrow at him. I thought for sure he would go the opposite direction with this conversation. As in, jealousy and all that shit. Eren had said that neither of them wanted to pursue a relationship, but I honestly doubted Erwin felt the same. If anything, I thought he was only trying to make Eren feel less bad about shutting him down “Would you have backed off?”

“Of course,” he answered firmly. “I never would have tried anything if I had known how you felt.”

Just that like, I felt like a shitty friend. I should have known that Erwin fucking Smith would have been a gentleman about this. All the time I spent being mad at him, he probably could have gotten Eren and I together if I would have said something. “I guess I wanted you to have your shot. I never planned on doing anything about it, so you were the next best thing.”

He gave a laugh as we passed some freshman in the hall. “I’m honored, Levi. I just want you to know that there’s nothing between Eren and I. You have no reason to worry.”

Even though I knew Erwin would never do something like try something with Eren while we were together, it was nice to hear. It put the little doubt I had at ease.

“But I have to ask,” he said, smiling at me, “If you didn’t plan on doing anything, how did you end up together?”

As embarrassing as it was to admit that it had been Eren, not me, to start things, I felt that Erwin wouldn’t judge me. I still wished I would have stopped being a pussy and just told him, it didn’t matter in the end. “The little shit accidentally told me he had feelings for me.” It wasn’t exactly true, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to tell anyone he had been thinking about me when he was about to fuck someone else. As arrogantly proud that made me feel, I doubt he would appreciate me saying anything.

“That sounds like him. I’m guessing the picture was taken shortly after that revelation?” The smugness in his voice was clear as we neared the office.

“Shut up.”

We parted ways as he went into the office. I still had Hanji to get through, but it wasn’t going so badly. I was sure Eren was getting shit from Jean, but I doubted he would say anything to me. Not that I would care.

I went to French and sat by Petra who was obviously having a hard time keeping herself from asking questions. For the most part, she kept them simple, so I answered her. She warned me Hanji would be coming after at lunch, but I was prepared. We had a test that no one was prepared for, but I breezed through it. I don’t have a lot of memories from my early childhood, but I somehow retained my knowledge of the French language. My mother taught it to me shortly before she left, and it had proven to be quite useful.

The bell rang and we all got out of class quickly. I was heading to Literature as usual, but I felt someone grab my wrist and pull me into the empty hallway that led to the gym. I immediately turned around and prepared to kill whoever the fuck thought it was a good idea to corner me, but stopped when I saw a pair of brilliant green eyes.

Once I realized it was only Eren, I relaxed. He was looking at me with an almost predatory smile, which should not have been such a turn on. He looked like he was about to devour me, so I assume his first hour was spent thinking about things other than history. I had never seen this side of him, but it was definitely welcome. “What the hell, you shit?”

He pushed me up against the wall and put his hands on my side. I swallowed thickly. We really shouldn’t be doing this here. I wasn’t even sure what we were doing, but from the toothy smile he was giving me, it wasn’t anything innocent.

“I kept thinking about this morning,” he said in a timbre voice. God damn, it was not going to be easy to turn him down if he tried something.

“What about this morning?” I surprised myself with how level my tone came out.

He leaned in close to my ear and hummed amusedly. I tried to suppress the shiver that ran through me, but I failed. “About your blush.”

So he did see it. I swear he was not this confident this weekend, but obviously seeing me flustered had spurred him on. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about, horny brat.”

He laughed darkly against my neck, and I could feel his breath fan out against me. I felt like we were shooting an amateur porn flick, but my body was reacting nonetheless. I was aching for him to just fucking do something. I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears and wanted to reach out and touch him, but this was seriously not where I wanted anything to happen.

“I kept thinking,” he continued, ignoring my denial,” about other ways to make you blush.” He ran his hands over my sides and kissed my neck gently. I bit my lip to hold in the sounds threatening to come out.

Since when did he get all this confidence? I knew he had experience, but it was downright embarrassing how he was taking me apart. I found myself jealous of whoever got to experience this with him before me.

“Eren,” I growled. “We are not getting off in the middle of the damn hallway.”

He took his head out of the crook of my neck. He smiled at me sheepishly and kissed me suddenly, as if he couldn’t hold back anymore. I had kept myself from touching him, but I had to thread my hand through his soft locks. Kissing him was addicting. I momentarily forgot we were in the middle of school where anyone could walk by at any moment and see us passionately making out. This time, he didn’t try and break the kiss quickly. We practically attacked each other’s mouths until we both needed air. He pulled away and looked at me with lust blown eyes.

“I know. Just wanted to do that.”

He was so genuine in his actions, it made my chest tighten. I loved him so fucking much. I didn’t care that we were both about to be late to class or that everyone would probably know exactly what we were just doing. I was already in way too deep with him, but I couldn’t stop it if I tried. I wanted to grab him and just fucking hold him all day.

“You’re ridiculous,” I said once I found my voice again.

He shrugged and gave me a goofy smile. “I couldn’t help myself. Are you mad?” He quickly changed his expression to one of nervousness.

I scoffed and ran my fingers through his hair. “No, idiot. Now get to class.”

He pouted and leaned his forehead against mine. His big green eyes were looking straight into mine. They showed so much emotion and fire, it was almost enough for me to throw him into a closet and kiss him senseless. “See you at lunch,” he said, a hint of disappointment apparent in his voice.

“See you then.” I kissed him once more only for a brief second before he backed up and took his hands away from me. We were going in opposite directions, so we parted ways in the hallway. I might have watched him walk away to his next class.

When I walked in late to Biology, Hanji eyed me like a suspicious parent. I tried to calm myself down after the kiss, but I wouldn’t put it past her to still know exactly what we did. I took my seat next to her, and as soon as I did, she started in.

“Were you with Eren?” She didn’t even attempt to keep her voice down.

I didn’t have a better excuse ready, so I decided to go with the truth. “Yeah.”

She leaned forward in her desk and pushed her glasses up. “And what were the two of you doing?” she asked in a knowing tone.

I kept an impassive stare at the front board and only sighed at her. “None of your fucking concern.”

She smiled widely and squirmed in her seat. “Please tell me you were having sex in the closet!”

I whipped my head around at her and glared. I’m pretty sure at least three people turned and gawked at her because she said it even louder than before. “Would you shut the hell up? We weren’t fucking.” For someone who was asexual, she was oddly interested in everyone else’s sex life.

The teacher slammed her book down on her desk and looked right at us. Hanji pouted and leaned back in her seat and I went back to staring blankly at the board. This conversation was far from done with Hanji.

I got a little break from everyone when I went to history. I was more excited than usual to think that Eren would share my lunch hour. I couldn’t focus on anything, instead letting my thoughts wander to this morning in the hallway. As much as I enjoyed the blushing, adorable version of Eren, the confident sex god wasn’t bad either. Actually, it wasn’t bad at all. I never thought he would have in it him. I haven’t really considered _how_ we would be having sex when we did, but at this point, I didn’t give a shit. He proved today that he could be just as dominant and commanding as I am, and I honestly wouldn’t mind seeing more. I’d take Eren anyway he would let me. I really shouldn’t be thinking about this in class. I couldn’t tell you how many unwanted boners Eren has unintentionally given me in during school.

The bell finally rang, meaning I could find Eren and relax. I was almost to the lunchroom when I felt the same little shit grab onto my wrist and pull me away from the door.

“Seriously Eren?” I said without even turning around.

“Completely serious. Come with me,” he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He was balancing two trays in one of his hand. I assumed one was for me, but that just raised more questions.

I eyed him skeptically, but I couldn’t say I wasn’t interested. Erwin and Hanji would be wondering where we were, and I had a guess as to what Hanji would think we were doing, but I still wanted to see what the hell this brat was up to. “Fine, where are we going?”

He grinned and me and began pulling me down the hall. “Somewhere I usually go to be alone.”

I raised my eyebrows at him. Eren didn’t seem like someone who ever wanted to be alone. I knew he had his issues with anger, but he usually craved being around people. But if he was willing to share wherever this was, I did feel a little special.

He dragged me upstairs and into the back office that was usually meant for student council meetings or other clubs. He somehow had the key, which was reserved for members. “How the hell do you have that?”

He smiled triumphantly and opened the door. “Armin lets me borrow it as long as I don’t break anything.”

“He has way too much confidence in you,” I remarked.

He didn’t disagree as we walked into the room. Not that I didn’t like the idea of eating alone with him, but we could have just gone to any open classroom. Unless he wanted one that specifically locked, which wasn’t a bad idea either.

But he didn’t stop and set out food down on any of the tables. Instead, he opened one of the closets with a different key. I followed behind him blindly, not sure what he was up to. I saw it wasn’t actually a closet, but a door leading to a small staircase. It went up steeply and looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in months. I grimaced at the sight, but Eren tugging at my hand took me back to what we were doing. “Just a little farther,” he said.

He climbed the stairs with our food as I trailed behind him. The stairs creaked as we climbed them. This didn’t seem safe at all, but if Eren went here often, then I would trust him. When we reached the top, I saw a panel above us that lead somewhere else. Eren pulled down on the string and opened the small door. I couldn’t help the grin that spread over my face when I realized where we were.

“Not bad,” I commented as he climbed out onto the open roof.

  
“Right?” he said back once he had gotten his body out of the small room and onto the roof. “I’ve wanted to show you this for forever, but never got around to it. I brought your coat, too.”

I followed behind him, bringing myself up and onto the flat surface of the roof. There wasn’t much of a view here; mostly buildings and cars passing by, but the fresh air and solitude was amazing. He had set out trays down and was patiently waiting for me to join him. I scooted over and sat by him, grabbing my jacket from his arm. I slipped it on, sighing at the warmth it provided. I noticed Eren hadn’t brought a jacket. He may have been a human heater, but it was pretty damn cold out here. I pressed myself into his side and wrapped my arm around his waist. He smiled brightly at me and leaned into my touch.

“So, how’s this for a first date?”

I was thankful for the cold, because my damn cheeks were heating up once again. Just the fact that he had planned this was enough, but it was perfect. We were alone and could even cuddle without prying eyes.  Shitty Glasses wasn’t here to ask overly personal questions and Eyebrows couldn’t encourage her. “Its…” I stopped myself before I continued. I could act like an ass like I normally would, but Eren was looking at me so anxiously I felt like I really needed to reassure him. “Perfect.”

I heard Eren’s breath hitch. He definitely wasn’t expecting something so sincere from me. “T-that’s good, then,” he said hurriedly. And just that like, he was back to the blushing mess that was Eren. I chuckled at his response, leaning in closer to him. He was so unusually warm against me that I wasn’t feeling cold in only a few minutes.

We eventually started eating our lunch, but didn’t move an inch from one another. We only had twenty minutes for lunch, but we were determined to make the best of it. After we finished our food in record time, we were content just to sit and be with one another. His arm eventually found its way over my shoulders, and I happily let him keep it there. We were horribly domestic, but neither one of us minded.

“If you ever tell Hanji or Petra about this, I’m never touching you again,” I mumbled against him.

He laughed and nuzzled his face into my hair. “Deal. But I doubt you could keep your hands off of me.”

“Cocky bastard.”

“ _Your_ cocky bastard.” I felt him smile, and I did the same.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I’d never let my guard down around anyone but him. I felt myself relaxing all of my muscles, and if it wasn’t so cold, I could probably fall asleep. How did we get to this point?

“I don’t know, but I’m glad.”

I froze when he responded. Shit, I said that out loud?

“And Levi,” he continued, “I just need you to know that whatever happens with us, I never want you out of my life. I know we’re dating, but you’ll always be my best friend, too. I don’t know if I could even function without you. I just…really care about you. I always have, but I guess recently I’ve discovered how far my feelings go. Levi, I think I lo- “

I silenced him with a bruising kiss. I didn’t want him telling me that yet, as much as I yearned to hear it from him. I wanted to give him a fair chance to seriously think about us and what those words meant. It’s not that I thought he didn’t mean it; I just need him to really consider what he was saying.  

But, his words went straight to my heart. He hadn’t promised me a forever or a happily ever after, because we both knew that might not be the case, and for the most part, those things don’t exist. Shit happens sometimes, and we’d be stupid to ignore that. But he told me exactly what I needed to hear; we would make the most out of this, no matter how long it lasted. Whatever bullshit life throws at us, we wouldn’t let it get in the way of us.

I pulled away slowly, but kept our faces close. “Don’t say that yet,” I murmured over his lips. “We’ve got all the time in the world.”

He nodded and closed his eyes, finding my lips once more. It was sweet and fleeting, but set my nerves on fire anyway. “You’re right,” he said quietly.

Having all the time in the world with Eren was all I ever needed

\---

 

The next two weeks flew by. Eren managed to pass all of his finals, even math, with the help of Erwin. I passed them as well, but it wasn’t nearly as difficult as it was for Eren.

We were practically inseparable. If there was ever a picture of the obnoxious couple who was always together, it was us. We did the stereotypical couple things, like going to the movies and taking walks together. Of course we still hung out with our other friends, but it was rare for us to be apart. I was getting to know his bratty group of friends while he was becoming closer to mine. We had just started our break, and I was sure we would be spending most of the time together.

The holidays weren’t my favorite time of the year, especially since my birthday was on Christmas, but Eren always made sure we did something together. As much as I complained about it, he did make it a little more bearable. Fuck, I still hadn’t even gotten him a gift. Anyway, Eren and Mikasa’s dad comes home around Christmas, and I knew it was a bittersweet reunion each year. They were happy to see him, but it was always a strange atmosphere.  

But, things were good. Very good. I had imagined being with Eren plenty of times, but nothing came close. We often spent the night at each other’s houses, but no sex happened. If I was being honest, I was surprised we had so much self-control. I got over my nervousness pretty quickly. I wasn’t worried about intimate contact with him anymore; quite the opposite. I was more than ready to do sexual things with him, but I wasn’t sure if Eren was. He certainly seemed like it if the make out sessions and heavy petting were anything to go by, but it just never came up. It didn’t really matter, though. We would spend hours sitting together, just talking. Granted, I let Eren do most of it, but wouldn’t want it any other way. Just hearing him go on about mundane, everyday things made me inexplicably happy.

One thing in particular I wasn’t embarrassingly happy about? The Smith’s annual holiday celebration. Every year, Erwin’s family hosts a giant fucking party at his giant fucking house a week before Christmas and I was forced to come every time. There were at least fifty people there, and most of them were rich socialites that Erwin’s parents knew. It’s generally the most uncomfortable thing I’d ever been to, and I really didn’t want to subject Eren to it, but it would be easier if he came. Hanji and Petra usually come as well, but they enjoy it somehow. Hanji could make even the most composed millionaires lose their shit, and Petra came off as an angel to everyone.

I had two days to prepare myself for it. Why he would host it on a Tuesday is beyond me, but I don’t understand rich people. I had avoided the bringing it up with Eren because I knew he would go if I asked him, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted that. Parties like that bring out the worst of me and letting Eren see that isn’t something I was sure I was ready for. And to top things off, most of the people there are homophobic assholes. Erwin hasn’t even come out because of it. I could introduce Eren as just my friend, but that seemed wrong on many levels.

Surprisingly, Eren and I hadn’t made plans for today. Everyone needs a break after all. As much as I wanted to just ignore this fucking party, he would no doubt get angry with me if I just didn’t tell him. I sighed and sat up from my bed. It was still early, but maybe I would be lucky and Eren would be awake. I needed to get this conversation over with while I still had the motivation. I picked up my phone from the table and dialed his number.

“ _Morning Levi_ ,” he grumbled from the other line. It sounded like I had woke up him if the gravelly tone of is voice was any indicator.

“Morning. I wake you?”

_“Mm, yeah. But it’s fine. What’s up?”_

I sighed and fidgeted a bit on my bed. It was odd, but I was still nervous about asking him to something like this. I would be formally introducing him to my boyfriend to a bunch of complete strangers who would most likely judge us. Would Eren be upset? Or would he get angry and do something stupid?

_“Is something wrong?”_ He said in a clearer tone.

“No,” I mumbled. “I wanted to ask you something.”

He cleared his throat from the other line. “ _Okay, you can ask me anything, Levi.”_

Just hearing him say my name calmed me significantly. I took a deep breath and started. “Erwin has this Christmas party in two days and its absolute hell. Definitely not my cup of tea, but he makes me come every year. And I’m shit at socializing anyway, so there’s that.” I rubbed the bridge of my nose with my hand. “I don’t even know what I’m asking of you, Eren.”

I could almost feel him nodding at the other end of the line. “ _Well, it sounds like you want me to come. Which I absolutely can. Or not, if that’s what you want.”_

At least Eren was good at this. I smiled at his willingness to please me. Truthfully, I would like him to come. Even if I do show him a side of me that I haven’t shown him, he deserves to see it. He made it clear that he was in it for the long run, so he would have to deal with it eventually. “It won’t be any fun for you.”

“ _I’ll be with you, though. That’s all that matters.”_

Jesus he was too fucking cute sometimes. “Remember you said that when you’re begging me to leave.”

He laughed lightly before answering me. “ _Deal. So what do I wear to this?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who has read and commented, we're at over 200 kudos! That's pretty nice.   
> A bit of bad news- I may have to start updating a little less frequently because I have run into some stuff that's been taking up a lot of my time. I'll try my best, and I guarantee I won't abandon this fic, but it could just be closer to two weeks for the next update.


	12. The Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi attend Erwin's party and get a lot more out of it than expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning for this chapter. It's a pretty long one too, I'll try to cut it down next time.

Two days later, I was waiting in Eren’s parking lot to pick him up. I had chosen a black button up shirt with a slim white tie along with a black pair of dress pants and black dress shoes. It was a lot less formal than what most of the guests would be wearing, but it would work. I had told Eren to dress formally, so we’ll see what he comes up with.

I sent him a quick text telling him that I was waiting outside. I was here ten minutes early to ensure the brat wouldn’t be late as usual. After only a few minutes, I saw his door opening to his house. I had never seen him in anything other than his usual old t-shirts, so when I saw what he was wearing, I couldn’t help but stare.

Eren walked out confidently as if he knew exactly what he looked like. He wore a dark blue button up that was tight around his muscular chest and arms. He wore a similar white tie as mine that went perfectly with the color. His tight black dress pants left nothing to the imagination. To top it off, he wore his same black Converse. What really got me was the fact he actually styled his hair. It was pushed back away from his face, revealing his eyes. He smirked as he saw me drinking in his appearance.

I already was glad that I had asked him to come. Just seeing him was enough to make my night better, especially when he looked like that. I think we would both have trouble keeping our hands to ourselves this evening.

He slipped into my car and raked his eyes up and down my body. I loved how shameless he was. “You look really good,” he blurted out.

“So do you,” I answered back, smiling at him.

“Really? I was worried I’m underdressed,” he said while I pulled out of his driveway.

I decided to assure him of how fucking nice he looked. I took one of my hands off of the steering wheel and placed it on his thigh, gently squeezing. I felt him tense under me as he gripped the side of the car tightly. I slipped my hand up farther, teasingly running it closer and closer to his crotch. “Trust me, Eren.” I said lowering my voice, “You look perfect.”

He squirmed in his seat before I took my hand away right before it would have brushed over his clothed member. He darted his eyes over to me and almost looked like he was disappointed. “You’re a god damn tease,” he murmured to himself.

“Wouldn’t want to get you too excited,” I returned with a smirk. He rolled his eyes at me, but I didn’t miss the half smile he tried to hide.

We drove on, slowly getting into the richer part of town. Houses got bigger, lawns got more well managed, and things generally got a lot more douchebag like. In fairness, Erwin’s family was one of the few people who lived in this area who were genuinely good and hardworking people. His father ran a company that’s based in the United States but does oversees work as well, so he’s gone quite a bit. His mother is a lawyer, but she takes time off to go with her husband with his work. Erwin never really seemed to mind, considering he was hardly home himself. He often got to travel with them as well.

Pulling up into Erwin’s house was quite the experience if you’ve never done it. In order to get in, you have to announce yourself before their giant ass gate opens for you. Eren’s eyes widened as I went into the familiar routine of rolling down my window and pushing the button that would alert whoever waits to let people in and giving them my name. The gates opened slowly, allowing us to pass into his incredibly lavish home.

“Holy shit Levi, you weren’t kidding when you said he was wealthy,” Eren mumbled, darting his eyes around the huge yard as we continued down the long driveway. His house was in sight, but it seemed Eren had yet to notice it. The obnoxiously large home was equipped with a courtyard in the front of the home, and yes, it even had the damn fountain in the middle surrounded by flowers and plants of all kinds. I parked off to the side where the other cars had already arrived and took in Eren’s reaction now that he was actually looking at the home.

He was definitely overwhelmed. But then again, who wouldn’t be. The front of the home had two large stone pillars in front of the front door, on top of which rested an outdoor balcony. The house itself was mostly stone, giving it that pretentious old-time vibe even though it was probably built no more than twenty years ago. It extended equally to the right and left, each side holding a good ten or so rooms, not including the large ballroom where most of tonight would take place.  And that was only the first floor. The second was designed much the same, except they had an indoor swimming pool. If things went really badly, I might have to let Eren take a break there. As he gawked at the house, I simply waited for him to get his bearings. “Whenever you’re ready,” I said, getting his attention.

He shook his head and laughed nervously. “Right. I’m good to go.”

I nodded and got out of the car, waiting for him to do the same. I locked the doors after we were both out, and proceeded to walk up to the large front doors. Eren stuck close to me, walking right beside me. I had discussed the attitude that most of the attendees would have, and he agreed that coming out as a couple would cause more harm than good. It felt like shit denying our relationship to a bunch of bigots, but I really didn’t want to stir trouble at Erwin’s event. We were only guests, after all.  His parents knew about Erwin’s sexuality, and I was sure they knew about Eren and I, so at least we had some people on our side.

“I guess I can’t hold your hand in there, huh?” Eren asked. The disappointment lacing his tone made me heart ache. Fuck, this was ridiculous. Why should we hide just to make things easier?

“I really do understand why,” he added quickly, picking up on my mood. “I’ve done this around my dad for years.”

The thought of Eren being reminded of that bastard was the last straw for me. Fuck anyone who got in the way of Eren and I. Fuck the guests in there who would whisper and spread shit about us. I knew that Erwin had to hide because he was so closely related to his parents, but Eren and I were nobodies. I had even asked Erwin what he preferred us to say around the other guests, and he said it was completely up to us; not even his parents would put a say in. So why the hell was I trying to hide?

I stopped before we met the doors and turned towards him. “Shit kid, we aren’t doing this.”

He looked at me with confused eyes. “What?”

I took one of his hands and closed mine around it, bringing us closer together. _This_ felt right. No one else’s opinion mattered to me. “I told you I wanted everyone to know about us, and that includes those rich fucks in there.”

I saw a small smile begin to form on Eren’s lips as he tightened the grip on my hand. He had never been one to care about what other’s thought of him, and definitely wasn’t one to stay out of trouble, so I have no doubt this was his preferred option all along. “So if someone asked about us, we can tell them?” The hopeful tone was back to his voice again.

“Yeah, I don’t see why not. But just be prepared for some less than favorable responses. I’m sure most of the guests will only turn up their noses and walk away, but some of the more outspoken ones will most likely comment on us in front of everyone. “

He nodded slowly, taking in the new information. “I can handle it. It’s not like I want to shout it over the balcony, anyway. I just don’t want to deny that we’re together.”

I cracked a small smile at that. “Sounds good. Now let’s get this shit fest over with,” I grumbled, heading back to the door. I let go of Eren’s hand, only because I would be needing it to shake hands with god knows who in there. The thought of touching everyone’s germ covered appendage almost had me visibly shudder, but I did pack hand sanitizer in my back pocket. I knocked loudly on the heavy wooden door, waiting for someone to open it.

A moment later, the door opened to Erwin with the fakest smile I had ever seen him use. As soon as his eyes landed on us, he relaxed his face and sighed loudly. “Thank god it’s you two.”

“That bad?” Eren asked with a chuckle.

Erwin’s eyes darkened for a moment before answering. “It’s worse. Come in and find out for yourselves,” he mumbled, turning to let us both in.

I walked in first, nudging Eren to follow. The entry way was brightly lit with holiday themed lights and decorations, just as it always is. I rolled my eyes at them, but Eren seemed entranced. Of course he would love Christmas decorations.

“Don’t let the décor fool you,” I said.

“He’s right,” Erwin affirmed. “Just wait until we get into the ballroom.”

“Ballroom?” Eren asked with wide eyes.

“It’s where all the fun is,” Erwin said dryly. “Hanji and Petra are already in there, but don’t try and find them right now. I think Hanji is hiding because she spilled her drink on someone.” As sorry as I was for my blond friend, I couldn’t help but find it a little funny. The normally composed version of Erwin had been thrown out the window, and the party had only been going on for thirty minutes. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to be the son of the hosts of this party.

He motioned for us to follow down a long hallway, decorated with paintings on each side. Eren looked at each one, furrowing his brow occasionally or bumping into me because he got too caught up in taking in the scenery. I eventually took him by the shoulders and led him down the straight path. We went through a few rooms before we finally reached a pair of broad doors that led to the grand ballroom. Ewin sighed again loudly, then plastered that ridiculous smile back on his face.

“Gentleman, welcome to hell.” I almost lost it hearing that phrase come out of his apparently happy visage, but kept it together once he opened the door. Eren had a tougher time, coughing to try and stifle his laugh.

The ballroom was just as it usually was, except somehow even grander. The room itself was huge- it easily fit the fifty or so people already in there. Tables were set up on the right and left side of the room for sitting and eating or just chatting, while the vast assortment of food was towards the back of the room. I had never seen so much food in one place before. The center of the room was mostly for the guests to converse with one another; not really for dancing. Although there had been one elderly woman last year that was convinced by Hanji to get onto one of the tables and dance. Anyway, Christmas decorations were everywhere in the room. Small trees and angles on every table, garland strung around the walls, and wreaths hung up on every corner. Guests were already inside. The woman wore long dresses, mostly quite conservative, while the men wore suits or even tuxedos.

” Levi,” Eren whispered, leaning down towards me,” are we sure Erwin isn’t secretly Batman or something?” The seriousness in his tone had me stifling a laugh behind my hand. Christ, this evening was already better with him here.

I tugged his arm, trying to get farther away from the door. “You’re an idiot,” I said back fondly.

“But seriously, this is insane,” he said, eyes landing over every surface of the room.

I turned around to see if Erwin was still with us, but he had already been drug into a conversation with a particularly crabby looking older gentleman. Erwin managed to maintain is poise perfectly, nodding and acting interested in whatever the guy was going on about. We made eye contact for a brief moment, so I shrugged and moved farther into the room. My goal was the same as every year; eat some free food, get Erwin out of talking to as many people as I could, watch Hanji do stupid shit, and then get the fuck out. I already messed up the helping Erwin out part, but the night only just begun.

“Hungry?” I asked Eren, walking back to the food line.

“Um, yes?” he said unsurely.

Without thinking, I slipped my hand back into his. I could tell he was nervous and needed to reassurance. He smiled at me warmly. “Relax. We’re only here for moral support.”

He nodded more times than necessary before we made it to the food spread. This was one of the few good things about this party. The food was unbelievable good, and it was all you can eat. Eren looked at least a little excited at the prospect of food, which I was glad for. Just as we were about to get our plates and food, I l felt a tap on my shoulder. I tensed and braced myself for an uncomfortable conversation, but relaxed once I turned around. The woman standing behind me a tall, middle aged blonde, but showed no signs of aging. Her blonde hair was swept to one side and secured with a beautiful blue pin. Her long, dark blue dress covered her entire front, but was backless. Her light blue eyes shone brightly with kindness.

“You scared the shit out of me,” I said with a sigh. Eren gaped at me, obviously shocked at my choice of words.

The woman laughed a soft, feminine laugh and looked over at Eren. “Sorry Levi, I just wanted to see your reaction. This must be Eren?” She was eyeing him with obvious interest.

“Uh, yes?” he answered. Always so eloquent, that one. Deciding to clue him in, I rolled my eyes and looked back at him.

“Eren, this is Evelyn Smith, Erwin’s mother.” Erwin’s parents were truly good people. When we first met, I was sure they would have the normal reaction to their child bringing home and incredible rude, pierced, and antisocial friend. But instead, both of them seemed to accept me easily. It took me a while to really be myself around them, but once I did, I found it easy.

He visibly relaxed and laughed lightly. “That makes a lot of sense. It’s nice to meet you,” he said with relief.

She smiled brightly at him. “And you. I’ve been dying to meet the boy who managed to win over Levi.” If only she knew that I had been the one trying to win Eren over all these years. Eren seemed a surprised that she knew about us. He smiled awkwardly and looked at me, then back at her.

Sensing his nerves, she placed a hand gently on Eren’s shoulder. “Oh, don’t worry Eren. My husband and I have known for ages about Erwin, and couldn’t care less.  If you can put up with this one,” she said, gesturing to me, “then that’s all that matters. And if anyone here gives you any trouble tonight, you let me know.”

Even though I was pretty much insulted, I was glad for her words. I was glad that Eren saw not everyone here would look down on us just because we are both men. And I didn’t doubt that she would have some choice words for anyone who said the wrong thing to us. She has said the same thing to Erwin, but he thinks it is just easier to let these assholes think whatever they want. Eren smiled and thanked her graciously before she was whisked away to chat with other members of the party.

We finally managed to get our food before being attacked by any other guests. After we got our plates, I was quick to grab Eren’s hand and put in back in mine. We got a few odd looks, but I only had to glare at them to get them to look away. I thought Eren and I might actually get to enjoy a meal to a table by ourselves, but that idea went to shit went I heard the unmistakable calling of both of our names from a nearby table. Eren and I exchanged looks, both knowing exactly what was going to happen. I sighed and led him to the direction of the table where Hanji, and probably Petra, had called us.

It was a table off to the side, which I was at least thankful for. Petra and Hanji sat on one end, clearly anticipating our arrival since they had two open seat with drinks already set. I first noticed what Hanji was wearing and smirked. Her hair was pulled up on the top of her head and out of her face, but she wore her signature glasses. On her top half, she had a simple white button up shirt along with a tight black vest. In all honestly, you really couldn’t guess her gender tonight. I was sure she did it on purpose. Petra wore a deep red dress that had a full sleeve on one arm, adorned with jewels. Her hair hung loosely by her neck, and her makeup was perfect.

“My favorite lovebirds!” Hanji called once we were in ear shot. We sat down and placed our plates in front of us. They had already started eating, and from the looks of it, Hanji was on seconds.

“Shitty Glasses, Petra,” I greeted. They were both smiling widely as if they really were enjoying themselves. I can’t believe it’s possible.

“So Eren,” Petra started, “how are you liking the party?”

Eren darted his eyes over to me as if to ask how he should answer. I shrugged subtly, letting him know it was fine either way. “Well, it’s sort of overwhelming,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. Petra hummed in agreement, setting her head on her hand to rest.

We started eating and conversing with the two idiots with us, and I wasn’t having as shitty of a time as usual. Something about hearing Eren’s light laugh from beside me and being able to touch him when I needed made it so much easier. He didn’t seem to be having a bad time either, which wasn’t all that surprising since he got free food out of it. He had relaxed considerably after the run in with Erwin’s mother and then talking with our friends, which I was glad to see.

“Tell me Hanji,” I said once we had finished our food,” what kind of shit have you started so far?”

Her eyes gleamed with delight at my question. One thing that was always entertaining were her crazy antics at this thing. “Oh, they’ve been quite interesting so far! I went around pretending to be a waiter, but I accidentally spilled a hundred-dollar glass of wine on some old woman’s dress. I had to hide a bit after that one. “

We all laughed and let her continue on with her stories of the night. I sort of wished I could of see them in person. I glanced around the room, trying to locate Erwin. You’d think it be easy since he was a tall bastard, but I was having trouble locating him. Finally, I saw him off to the side, talking to a just as tall man with a dark blue suit on. Erwin and I locked eyes, and he gave me the “get me the fuck out of here” look. I rolled my eyes and stood up from my seat.

“What’s up?” Eren asked me.

“Erwin just sent me the SOS look, so I have to drag his sorry ass out of whatever it is he got himself into,” I deadpanned.

Eren smiled at me and gave my hand one last squeeze before letting go. “You’re a good friend, Levi.” After he said that so genuinely, I almost just stayed there with him. But, that would sort of defeat the purpose of the compliment. I ruffled his styled hair before I left, causing him to openly whine in protest. I heard the others laughing as I turned to go and rescue Erwin.

I made it to him in the middle of what seemed like a very deep conversation, but I only caught the tail end of it. I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about, but the older gentleman with Erwin seemed strangely serious.

“I’m telling you son, this would be the perfect match!” he exclaimed once I came into view. Erwin looked completely exhausted, trying his best to smile politely and nod when needed.

“I thank you for your offer, but I’m really not interested right now,” he said back, sounding rehearsed and almost bored.

The older man huffed and put his hands in his pocket, apparently accepting defeat. I took this as my opportunity to jump in.

“Excuse me for interrupting,” I said in my obnoxiously polite voice,” but it seems that your father needs you, Erwin. I’ll take you to him.”

Erwin nodded in understanding and turned to face the other man. “I’m sorry, looks like I have to be going. But do give my best wishes to your family.” With one last fake smile, Erwin was walking away swiftly with me.

“What the hell was that about?” I half whispered.

Erwin groaned quietly and shook his head. “He was trying to set me up with his granddaughter.”

I chuckled quietly as we passed the different guests. Erwin would give a quick nod to some of them he recognized and even stop to shake a few hands as we went. But as long as I was with him, I could make it seem like he had somewhere to be, so we didn’t stop and talk to anyone.

“That’s why I don’t understand why you don’t just tell everyone you like dick,” I responded. “Your parents wouldn’t care.”

“I know. I’d just rather not have the attention.” I could understand that. Announce your anything but straight and all of a sudden you’re the newest topic in everyone’s life. It doesn’t even matter if they accept it or not, you’re still going to get talked about. “People are already talking about Eren and you.”

I stopped walking and raised an eyebrow at him. “They see you holding hands,” he continued. “Honestly, I think what you two are doing is great. Maybe you’ll open the eyes of some of these people with how ridiculously adorable you are.”

I glared at him while he only smirked at me. Just as I was about to tell him he could get rid of old men and their granddaughters on their own, he looked behind me, and his face immediately dropped. I turned around to see what he was looking at, but immediately regretted it when I did.

“Levi!” the girl who Erwin had spotted cried happily.

Fucking.Hell.

Her name was Hitch, and she was the daughter of some rich socialite that Erwin’s family knew. She was a couple years younger than Erwin and I, but was pretty much obsessed with me. Her short, blondish hair bounced as he ran over to us. She wasn’t unattractive by any means, but I never cared for her. Her amber eyes flicked over to me, completely ignoring Erwin.

“I didn’t even know you were here,” she said, putting her hands behind her back and biting her lower lip. I wanted to roll my eyes with her poor attempt at flirting, but it wouldn’t do me any good. I had told her before that I wasn’t interested, but that only seemed to spur her on. I looked over to Erwin, but he had been snatched away but yet another grumpy looking older man in the short time Hitch had stopped me.

“I just came in a little while ago,” I said with no emotion in my voice.

She stepped closer to me, smiling as she did. Fuck, I really didn’t want to be here. All I wanted was to get back to the table and be with Eren again, but I couldn’t just blow her off. Who knows what her family was capable of if I pissed them off. “I see. Well, I’m certainly enjoying the evening more,” she said.

I almost didn’t resist the urge to eye roll at that one. I tried to give a polite smile back, but I think it looked more like I was in pain. “Right. Can’t say I am, honestly.” She either didn’t notice or didn’t care that I pretty much openly insulted her. She giggled as she had to audacity to put her hand on my arm and keep it there.

“Oh Levi, you always act like you hate this party, but I can tell you don’t really.” That goes to show you how well she knew me. I wanted to slip her probably filthy hand off of my arm, but there was no polite way to do it. She kept it there and gave me this what I assumed was supposed to be a seductive look. “At least you’re not alone now,” she almost whispered.

I was going to assure her that I was not alone and had in fact, an incredibly sexy boyfriend, but a said boyfriend appeared out of nowhere before I could.

“He’s not alone,” Eren said clearly, coming up beside me and glaring at Hitch like I had never seen him before. He was practically radiating jealously with the stare he was giving her. She immediately took her hand off of me and looked almost frightened of Eren. He slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me in closer to him possessively.  He gave her a deadly smile, then looked down at me. He was giving me the sexiest fucking smile I had ever seen, and my knees went weak at the sight. Oh, I liked jealous Eren. Jealous Eren was something I wouldn’t mind seeing more often.

“O-oh? Who’s this, Levi?” she stuttered out.

“This is Eren,” I said, not taking my eyes off of him. “He’s my boyfriend. Eren, this is Hitch.”” I swear I saw his eyes light at as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

“Boyfriend?” Hitch said, obviously disappointed. She quickly perked up, though. “I guess I should have known you were gay,” she said, laughing to herself.

“Well it was nice to meet you Hitch, but I’ve just been told Levi’s needed somewhere,” Eren interjected.

“Um, right. I guess I should be going, then, too. See you around, Levi,” she mumbled and walked off.

As soon as she was out of ear shot, I turned to Eren. He was back to giving me that seductive smile, and it almost had me distracted enough to forget to yell at him. “You can’t seriously be jealous of her.”

He shrugged, taking my hand and leading me farther away from the crowd. I noticed we were heading towards to exit doors, but my thoughts stopped when I felt the hand around my waist begin to run over my lower stomach. “I can’t help it. She was staring at you like she wanted to eat you.”

“What are you doing?” I said unsteadily.

He kept walking briskly until we reached one of the doors that left the ballroom. When he pushed us both through it, I finally managed to regain some of my sanity and grabbed is wrist. Once the door was closed, leaving us alone in the hallway, I stared at him incredulously. “Seriously, what the fuck?”

Eren’s predatory look turned into one of panic when he saw I was legitimately concerned over whatever the fuck was going on with him. “Um, I kind of have an idea.” He bit his lower lip and flashed his green eyes at me. God, if he kept looking at me like a kicked puppy I’d give him just about anything.

“And what would that be?” I said back slowly.

He licked his lips unintentionally, walking over to get closer to me. “Well, I saw you with that girl and I guess you could say I got a little jealous,” he mumbled.

An amused smiled crossed my features. How he could go from the intimidating jealous boyfriend to the adorable little shit in front of me now was a mystery. I liked both versions equally, though. “I know. It was one hell of a turn on.”

His eyes widened as he looked back at me. From the looks of it, that wasn’t the reaction he thought he would get. “R-really? I thought you were mad for a second.”

I rolled my eyes for what felt like that hundredth time that night. “No, I was just wondering why you were dragging me off into the fucking hallway. Care to explain this idea of yours?”

He closed in on me and backed me up against the wall, eyes running over my body. They finally landed on my face, locking his eyes with mine. “I really want to suck your dick right now.”

I blinked. He stared at me with a blush. My cock twitched in my pants.

“I-I just saw you getting hit on and for some reason all I wanted to do was just fucking touch you so she knew you were taken, but if you don’t want to- “

“Yes,” I blurted out. We were in Erwin’s home, with fifty old men and woman in the same house. But holy fucking shit I didn’t care. I had been waiting for him to say something like this since we got together, honestly. And all I knew was that I wanted Eren’s beautiful pink lips wrapped around me right now. This was completely unlike me, but now that he offered, there was no way I was turning back. I could feel myself getting hard at the thought alone.

“Yes what?” he asked dumbly.

I stalked over to him and grabbed his tie, bringing our faces close together. “Yes, I want you to suck my dick, dumbass.” I heard his breath catch as he stared at me with lust filled green eyes.

Then next minutes were a complete blur. We ended up on the second floor so there wouldn’t be any chance of someone walking in on us. I chose the first door I could find and threw Eren inside. It was a bedroom luckily enough. I kept the lights off as Eren pushed me onto the large, kind sized bed. My back hit the soft comforter beneath me, and Eren was already positioned over me. He surged down and kissed me with a lust filled passion that had me dizzy. I felt his hands trail down my chest and reach farther down to my belt. This time, I didn’t even try and stop him. My cock was half hard already just from the images pouring into my head.

He undid my belt without stopping our kiss, even getting bolder and tracing my lower lip with his tongue. I smirked into the kiss, but allowed him access anyway. He pushed the hot appendage into my mouth, almost drawing a moan from me as he unzipped my pants at the same time. I had one hand in his hair and the other behind his back, drawing him closer to me. He used one of his hands to try and undo my tie, but was unsuccessful. I pulled away from him only to tear it off and throw it across the room. I started to unbutton my shirt, but my hands were shaking so fucking much I could barely get one undone. Eren took over, not even commenting on my idiotic fumbling, slipping my shirt off my shoulders and placing it aside. He swallowed audibly once he got it off, kissing at my chest so gently I felt my heart swell.

He sucked and bit at my toned chest, leaving me fisting the sheets as he did so. I was painfully hard and ready for him to just fucking touch me, but couldn’t bring myself to say the words. He crept down my body until he was resting in between my legs. I sat up on my elbows to watch him as he slowly pulled my pants down until he threw them off of me. I sat there, obvious tent in my boxers while he trailed kisses down my inner thighs. I wanted to yell and tell him we didn’t have enough time for teasing, but with the way he would flick his darkened eyes up at me, it silenced me every time. Even in the darkness of the room, I could see he was enjoying this way too much.

He made his way upwards, sucking and nipping on the flesh so close to my throbbing cock, but never making contact. He hadn’t even taken off my fucking underwear yet. I growled when he continued to avoid me, eyes alight with obvious pleasure at my neediness. His fingers teased at the hem of my boxers, biting his lower lip as he did so. I silently nodded, giving him permission to finally leave me completely bare under him.

He slowly peeled them off, watching with pure lust filled eyes as my cock sprung free. He unconsciously licked his lips, making me groan and arch towards him. Fuck being in control, I needed his mouth on me _now._

Without warning, I got what I asked for.

 “Fuck!” I nearly screamed as his I felt heat envelope the head of my cock and pleasure shoot through me like I had never felt before. I squeezed my eyes shut and flung my head back against the bed as Eren hummed around my member, using that glorious mouth of his bring me apart.

He didn’t give me any time to recover from the initial ecstasy as his mouth took me farther and farther until he had almost taken my entire length into his mouth. Eren wasn’t teasing anymore. He put his hands on my hips to keep me from bucking into that perfect heat of his. My mouth hung open, small noises of pleasure escaping as I felt his skilled tongue run along my cock. He went back and focused on the head, sucking harshly and dipping his tongue in the slit. “Oh, _fuck_ , E-Eren…” I said, opening my eyes to look down at him. Seeing him staring back at me with his lips wrapped around my cock was almost enough to make me cum right there. I grabbed his hair with one of my hands, fisting it in the soft brown locks and holding tight.

He didn’t break eye contact as he slowly started to bob his head, taking me farther down his throat. He used one of his hands to pump the base of my cock in time with his movements. I felt my thighs shake as he skillfully took me up and down, never letting his lust blown eyes off of mine. I was never loud when I masturbated, but the sounds escaping me were anything but quiet. I moaned his name as he moved his mouth even faster and hummed around me, sending the vibrations through my aching member.

I almost screamed as his other free hand came up to cup my balls, keeping up the rhythm with his mouth. “Y-you _shit,”_ I moaned shamelessly. He massaged my balls with one hand, moaning and sucking on my cock like he was getting just as much enjoyment out of this as I was. I felt a tightening in my abdomen, that blissful feeling creeping up on me, signaling my end was near. I got hot all over, arching my back into him, crying out as he never stopped the movement of his mouth.

“Shit…I’m close,” I managed to gasp out. He made no move to take his mouth off of me, which meant he must want me to cum in his mouth. I groaned as that thought alone tipped me over the edge, pure pleasure surging through me as I felt myself release into his mouth. Eren swallowed around me, milking me through my orgasm, taking everything I gave to him.

After I was too sensitive to continue, he pulled off of me with a lewd pop and wiped his mouth with his hand. I was still panting and trying to catch my breath from his mind blowing blow job when I felt him lay against my side, nuzzling his head under my neck.

“You were louder than I thought you would be,” he mumbled. I could feel the smugness radiating off of him as I scoffed at him.

“Well you didn’t tell me you could give blow jobs like a fucking porn star,” I retorted.

He chuckled against my neck, the sound resonating through me. I could feel the collar of his shirt rub against my naked body, causing me to remember a very important fact. “You have too many clothes on.”

I felt him stiffen as I smirked and looked down at his now blushing face. He could suck my dick like a pro, then get all nervous because I want to take his clothes off. Fucking brat.

“We should probably be getting back,” he muttered, hiding his face in my neck once again.

“Like hell I’m going back to that party after this,” I said indignantly. I moved so he was no longer resting on my, but instead directly under me. His eyes were wide with shock as I loomed over him, eyes raking up and down his still clothed form. “Now let me return the favor,” I whispered darkly over his lips.

He shuddered under me, unintentionally arching up against. I had a feeling he was hard, and he confirmed my suspicions when his erection pressed into my thigh. He let out a small whining noise at the contact and I felt my cock twitch at the sound.

“Levi,” he whispered, eyes fluttering open to meet mine. “As much as I want that, I’m afraid someone is going to come looking for us soon and hear us.”

“What if I want them to hear you, hm?” I said, cupping his cheek with one of my hands. “What if I want them to know you’re mine?”

Eren actually let out a moan at that, biting his lower lip and looking at me with pleading eyes. I leaned down and captured his full lips in a kiss, running my hand over his side as I did so. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me down until our chests were pressed against each other. He was impossibly warm, even through his increasingly annoying clothes.

Just as I was about to start the process of stripping the beautiful boy underneath me, I heard someone try and open the door. Luckily, I had locked it before we started, but that didn’t make the fact that someone was trying to get in any better. Eren pushed me off, looking at me with panic filled eyes.

“Why is someone trying to get in?!” he whispered frantically.

“Why would I know that, Eren?” I snapped back. We stayed perfectly still, not wanting any movement to give us away.

After a few seconds, the noises from the door stopped. “Is there someone in here?” The unmistakable voice of Erwin called from the other side of the door. Eren went from frightened to completely terrified as soon as he registered who it was.

I took a second to actually look at the surroundings since I was preoccupied with Eren beforehand. There were bookcases all around the room, each one filled to the brim with different genres of literature. A large writing desk sat in the corner with a comfortable looking chair. The bed Eren and I currently sat on had cream colored cotton sheets. As I registered the fact that not only had I been in this room many times before, but I had just gotten my first blow job on my best friends bed, I had to cover my mouth to stifle the laugh that came out.

Eren was staring at me like I had just grown a second head as I laughed and set my head down on his firm chest. Erwin was going to murder me if he finds out what just happened in here. Not only had I started dating the guy he had been interested in less than a month ago, I just got off from him in his own damn bedroom. “Levi, what the fuck?” Eren whispered against my hair.

“I can hear you whispering,” Erwin called out in a curious tone.

I full out laughed at his response, unable to contain myself. Eren even started in with me, apparently putting the pieces together. After we were both calmed down, I decided to respond to my blond friend.  “It’s just Eren and I,” I yelled out through the door.

There was a pause, then a knowing groan from outside. “Really Levi? In my own bed?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who has kept reading, especially since my updates are getting farther apart. The next one should be up a bit sooner!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a very Merry Christmas for the boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I am so sorry for how long this chapter is, but I had a lot to say. CHECK THE TAGS GUYS.

I sat on my bed, tapping the screen of my phone nervously. This was stupid. I was stupid. Everything about this god damn idea was ridiculous.

My birthday and Christmas were in three days. I told Eren and over not to get two gifts, and if at all possible, not even one. Who knows if he would listen to me, but I made it clear. I had a gift for him, as well as something else I wanted to do on my birthday. It was tradition, really. I wanted to have sex with Eren.

It had been coming for a long time, but neither of us initiated it. We’d only been dating for about a month, but I’d been pining over him for years, and Eren obviously had feelings for me. I figured my birthday was as good as time as any. The problem? I had no idea how to ask him, and no idea what the fuck I was doing. Sure, I knew how it worked, but I’d never imagined my first time would be with Eren. It was too impossible to grasp. The fact that he had experience was both comforting and a bit intimidating. It was also the reason I decided I wanted him to top.

I knew I needed to do some…planning. But I couldn’t bring myself to look it up online, and I sure as fuck wasn’t asking Erwin. That smug bastard wouldn’t ever let it go. There was Armin, but considering Eren was the one he messed around with, I figured that be a little too awkward. Which left me with one option I could think of. I sighed loudly, finally dialing the number and pressing the phone up to my face.

“ _I swear to fuck I didn’t do anything to piss of Eren,”_ Jean grumbled into the phone.

I rolled my eyes. “Good, but that’s not why I’m calling.”

He paused. “ _Oh. Sorry, you just never call me. Or anyone. You know, cause you’re like a hermit or some shit.”_

“Could you stop spewing shit for a minute and let me get this over with?” I growled into the phone.

“ _Jesus, fine. I could have said elf, you know.”_

I paused, clenching my jaw and rubbing my temple. Jean had gotten a lot less intimidated of me since Eren and I started dating. Something about it made him think we were closer, I guess. “Christ, okay I’m just going to get to the point. You and Marco are dating, right?”

I heard a pleased hum from the phone which made me roll my eyes again. “ _You bet. Almost a year now. You and Eren don’t want to do some like, swingers thing do you? Because no offense, but I wouldn’t touch Jaeger if my life depended on it and I’m pretty sure you’d like, break me, or something.”_

“What the fuck? No!” This was by far the stupidest decision of my life.

“ _I’m just saying, Jaeger must be a masochist or something. Like, I can totally see you in leather and shit-“_

“You know what, never mind,” I interjected. “And stop picturing that you perverted fuck!”

I heard him laugh, fucking _laugh,_ at me. This was pointless. There was no way he was ever going to be able to help me if he was taking it this way. “ _Sorry, Sorry. I’ll stop being a dick. Well, for now. What’s up?”_

I paused at his change in demeanor. I never knew Jean well, but Eren actually seemed to get along with him nowadays. They were closer than either one would ever admit, so maybe he might be somewhat helpful. Or I could just ask Marco, but something told me he wouldn’t be as open as Jean. “I need to ask for your help,” I said.

Jean made a surprised noise. “ _Seriously? Dude, are you high?”_

“No,” I said exasperatedly. “I need you to be an actual adult about this for like, five minutes.”

“ _Alright, alright. What do you need?”_

I was surprised that it was that easy to convince him. Now that he was actually ready for me to tell him, I started to lose my nerve. How was I supposed to start this conversation? “You can never tell Eren or anyone else about this,” I said darkly.

“ _Oh wow, I’m about to have blackmail material on Levi Ackerman,”_ he mumbled. “ _But yeah, okay. Secrets safe with your buddy Jean.”_

I sighed and rubbed my forehead with my hand. Now or never. “I want to have sex with Eren in three days, but I don’t know how to ask him. And I have no idea what I’m doing,” I mumbled.

I was expecting a laugh or maybe a pause to compose himself, but Jean did nothing like that. “ _Oh, that’s easy!”_ he said cheerfully. “ _Eren’s been wanting to jump you for months now. It’s sort of all he talked about for a week. And I mean in excruciating detail. I get we’re friends, but there’s a limit, you know? I don’t need to know my best friend’s fantasies, fuck.”_

I blinked a few times, unable to think of a response. At least I knew Eren was willing? Before I could think of something, Jean started talking again.

“ _Anyway, just surprise him. I guarantee he’ll be up for it. Get some rose petals or some shit, he’ll go crazy. Oh, and condoms and lube of course.”_

“Rose petals?” I asked incredulously.

He snorted. “ _Yeah, he’s sort of a sap. Don’t tell him I told you this, but I’m pretty sure he reads hella romance novels.”_

I hummed with the addition of that knowledge. A sap, huh? I could work with that.

“ _So are you topping or bottoming?”_ Jean asked.

I couldn’t believe how nonchalant and actually helpful he was being. I cleared my throat and shifted on my bed. “Bottoming. If he’s okay with that.”

Jean scoffed. _“If he’s okay with it? Fuck, I know he’s over the moon with it. I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect that from you. But hey, bottoming is fan-fucking tastic.”_

“Right,” I mumbled, unable to form a response yet again.

“ _Eren will be doing most of the work so you mostly just get to sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s gunna hurt, even if he prepares you well, but its bearable and won’t last long. Talk to him- let him know what’s good, what’s not, easy. But make sure you’re you know, clean. Does Eren know what he’s doing?”_

“I think so,” I said unsurely.

He hummed. “ _I’ll talk to him. Anything else?”_

“Uh, no. I think I’m good. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you were actually helpful, Jean.”

I could practically feel the smug grin radiating off of me. “ _No problem. Have fun losing your v-card!”_

“Yeah, yeah,” I mumbled into the phone. In truth, I was sure I would definitely have fun.

\---

Three days came and went. I opened my eyes on Christmas morning as well as my birthday and fumbled around for my phone. I was nervous. I still hadn’t brought up the idea with Eren. I was planning to surprise him like Jean had suggested, but the idea became more and more hard to accomplish as the days came and went.

Eren’s dad returned two days before Christmas. I saw his car in the driveway before Eren could even alert me, so I was prepared when I saw the text. Apparently, he was actually trying this year. Eren didn’t go into details, like he normally doesn’t about his dad, but all he said was this time was different. Maybe he was changing, at least a little. But, this also meant Eren and Mikasa would spend Christmas day with their father. I was a little disappointed, but I knew what it meant to both of them. After all, I had Kenny to think of. He’d gotten a few days off of work for the holidays. That also meant I wouldn’t have the house to myself tonight. Meaning Eren and I wouldn’t have a safe place to…well.

I flipped over in my bed and finally located my phone. I picked it up and saw I already had a few texts from Hanji, Erwin, and Petra. What caught my attention was the missed call from Eren, at exactly midnight. I frowned, and immediately called him.

“ _Levi!”_ he called cheerily. _“Happy birthday! And Merry Christmas.”_

I couldn’t hold back the smile that was on my face. “Merry Christmas. What was that call about?”

_“O-oh, don’t worry about that, accident,”_ he said with an awkward laugh.

I smiled slightly. “Come on, tell me,” I coaxed him. “It is my birthday.”

He sighed, but it wasn’t a defeated sigh. “ _Alright. I sort of wanted to make sure I was the first to talk to you on your birthday,”_ he mumbled.

My smile only grew. Too damn adorable. “Eren,” I said, “thank you.” I don’t think he expected such a response because he was uncharacteristically quiet. “For the record, you were still the first.”

He laughed. “ _Well, good. Oh! I’ve got good news.”_

My interest had peaked. “Oh?”

“ _Yeah, I talked to my dad and he has to head back to work late tonight. So we can still spend a bit of Christmas together.”_

I swallowed. For one, this was a very good thing. It meant that Eren and I could exchange gifts, do the whole Christmas thing. But on the other hand, it meant my plan I was unreasonably nervous about could potentially be back in play. “What about your sister?”

“ _She’s heading over to Annie’s to spend the night,”_ he said happily.

I let out a shaky breath, hoping he wouldn’t hear it. Okay, this could definitely happen. And you know what? I wanted it to. I wanted to Eren to know how much I wanted him, how much I cared about him. Sure I was inexperienced and worried, but it was just Eren after all. The same brat I grew up with, and the same brat who always made me feel comfortable. “I’ll spend the night,” I said. “I’ve got a few things planned, actually.”

_“Really?”_ he asked with interest. “ _I look forward to it, then. I mean, I did before I knew you had something planned, but you get it,”_ he said quickly.

I chuckled into the phone. “Good. Send me a text when I can see you,” I said.

_“Mm. Will do. Merry Christmas, birthday boy,”_ he said teasingly.

My day as rather uneventful. Kenny and I tried our best to cook something that somewhat related a Christmas meal, but it didn’t turn out all that well. Neither of us really minded. It had been a while since I spent so much time around him, and it was surprisingly nice. We sat and watched TV together and he interrogated me about my relationship with Eren. I never actually told him we were dating, but it was obvious. I’d never experienced parents, but I found myself thinking it was something like this.

“You aren’t going over to Eren’s?” he asked me while we were doing dishes.

“Not yet,” I replied. “His dad is home.”

Kenny hummed and looked over at me. “I expect he doesn’t…know about you two?”

I scoffed. “No. He has no idea about us.”

“I’m sorry, Levi,” he said suddenly. “It’s a shame he can’t see how happy you two obviously are.”

I frowned. It was a shame, really. He had no idea both of his children were in happy, healthy relationships just because they happened to both be involved with the same gender. I never asked Eren if he wanted to tell his father because I already knew the answer. It wouldn’t go well. I guess I should be thanking Kenny, considering he took Eren and I’s relationship well. “It’s fine. At least we’re welcome here,” I said quietly.

I felt his hand clap on my shoulder. I looked up and saw he was smiling at me. “Always.”

After a few hours, Kenny retired to his room, leaving me simply waiting for Eren’s text. It was only seven, meaning I probably still had some time to kill. I decided on showering, which took up a good half hour. After I finished, I was nervous enough that I ended up just pacing through the house. This would be fine. I had originally planned for it to happen at my house, but Eren’s house was good, too. Everything would work out.

At nine, I finally received a text. Eren’s father had left, and Mikasa was just about to go to Annie’s. I took a deep breath and went into my room to gather up all the supplies I needed. Gift, condoms, lube, extra clothes. I was ready. I held the bag in my hands and went back into my room. I pulled out a dark pair of jeans from my closet and put them on, along with a dark green button up. I wanted to look good, after all.

I made myself walk slowly down the street to his house. I didn’t want to seem overeager, but then again, would Eren really care? I jogged up the steps to his house and hesitated. With one more deep breath, I opened the door and walked in. The first thing I noticed was the smell. Whatever Mikasa ended up cooking must have been amazing, because it smelled like pure heaven. My mission was momentarily forgotten as I looked over on the counter.

“Is that pie?” I called out. I heard Eren laugh from his room.

“Pecan!” he sang back.

I dropped my bag by the side of the door and took off my shoes, headed for the kitchen. Sex could wait for Mikasa’s pecan pie. I helped myself, waiting for whatever it was Eren was doing to be done so I could see him. I was halfway down with my piece when he came strutting out of his room, dressed in the ugliest fucking Christmas sweater I have ever seen. I swear whoever made it tried to use every Christmas story ever told. It had elves, snowmen, and was that Jesus in there?

“Holy shit kid, that just killed my boner,” I said once he was sitting beside me.

He laughed heartily, proudly displaying that monstrosity of a sweater. “Aw, come on. I’m still sexy,” he said, nudging my side.

“Can’t argue with that,” I said with a laugh. He smiled broadly, and finally scooted closer to me, closing the distance between us. It had been two long since our lips touched, and I was keen on showing him. I fisted my hand in that damn sweater, bringing him as close as possible without setting him on my lap. He made a noise of surprise, but it didn’t take him long to return the kiss with passion.

“Merry Christmas, Eren,” I whispered once we broke apart.

“Happy Birthday, Levi,” he said with a wide grin. I rolled my eyes.

“You are a sap,” I mumbled. “Gifts now or later?” I asked. I had a feeling once he heard my suggestion about our plans for the evening, he’d forget all about everything else.

“Now is good,” he said excitedly. He jumped off the barstool in the kitchen and retreated back into his room, I’m assuming to go and get whatever it is he got me. I told him repeatedly he didn’t need to do anything, but he insisted.

I went over and sat down on the couch. It was comfortable, and almost felt like home. I’d spent years on this couch, either with Eren or his sister. Christmas was almost always spent here, at least when Carla was alive. Afterwards, Eren’s dad wasn’t exactly fond of anyone but family coming over. It devastated Eren, not only because I couldn’t come over, but also because Armin couldn’t. Armin only had his grandfather, and he enjoyed the extra family around the holidays.

“Levi?” I heard Eren say, somewhat cautiously. “You alright?”

I cleared my throat and nodded, managing a small smile. “Yeah. Just…reminiscing, I guess.”

Eren nodded, walking over to sit by me. He had a medium sized box in his hands which he set to the side. “I do that too,” he said, looking out at the house. “It’s nice sometimes because you remember all the good, but you also realize it isn’t that way anymore.” His voice trailed off, barely a whisper now.

I sighed. I didn’t want him to be upset; that was the exact opposite of what I intended. I reached over and grabbed his hand, threading my fingers through his. “Then let’s make new memories. You remember what you told me on the roof?” I asked. He nodded. “You said you knew we might not have a happy ending, but that didn’t matter because we would always be friends, always be close, right? So right now, let’s make a good memory. One that will always be good because we’ll always be there for each other, Eren.” I wasn’t normally the slightest bit sentimental, but I knew he needed to hear it. And, I needed to say it.

He squeezed my hand hard and nodded, eyes closed. “I’d like that, Levi.”

I sighed in relief. “Good. Now hand me my gift, brat.”

He opened his eyes and laughed light heartily. He twisted around and grabbed the package again, looking at it hesitantly. “You said nothing big remember,” he said unsurely. He handed it over and watched with nervous eyes and I took the package. Carefully undoing the strings, I opened one end of it.

Inside, there was a picture frame. It held a space for two pictures, which Eren had filled. The first was one when we were young, maybe around 10 or so. Eren had his arms wrapped around me from behind, resting his chin on my head, obviously enjoying his already apparent height advantage over me. I was pouting, but it was clear I wasn’t that upset. I knew I was smiling, but I couldn’t hold it in. I flicked my eyes over to the second picture. It was recent; I could tell you the day we took it. It was the exact same pose, but from only a week or two ago. I felt my chest seize as I looked at the two of them. Eren had his same grin, but there was something else there, in his eyes. I was even looking up at him with affection. So much and so little had changed.

“Eren…” I said, not recognizing my own voice, “just…fuck, thank you.” Shit, I was not going to cry. I was supposed to be having hot, nasty sex with Eren tonight and now I was almost fucking crying.

Eren wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his chest. He slotted his head in my neck so his lips were inches from my ear. I closed my eyes, letting him calm me. I took deep breaths, trying to get myself together. But, then he said something to me. Something that made all my efforts worthless.

“I love you, Levi.”

I’d imagined him saying that many times. More than I can count, really. But hearing it was something else.

My lips were on his faster than I could even process what had happened. I must have set the picture frame on the table, because I climbed onto his lap without any obstruction. Eren Jaeger loved me. He fucking loved me. I kissed him like it was the last and first time all in one, and he returned it just as desperately. The night I was planning to give him the most basic part of me, and here is giving me so much more. But, I realized, I never said the words back. When I first told him my feelings, I knew I told him he was the one I loved, but I hadn’t actually said the words, had I?

“Eren,” I said raggedly, pulling away from him. His expression wasn’t one I’d soon forget. Cheeks dusted with pink, eyes blown wide, and a beautiful pout to his swollen lips. “I love you. Since even before I knew what that meant. “I brought my lips back to his, this time slower. We moved lazily, just enjoying the feeling of one another. It was almost unreal.

“I wasn’t expecting to tell you that,” he said in between kisses. “It just felt right.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” I said with a smile. “Thinking things through has never been your strong point.”

He scoffed, but didn’t argue. I felt his fingers tracing the skin underneath my shirt, making my shudder. I could tell he felt it, both from his smug expression and the low chuckle that sounded in his chest. “You haven’t given me my gift yet,” he reminded.

“Fuck your gift,” I said breathily. “Get to your room.”

He stopped his hand from moving over my skin and looked at me oddly. “Why?”

I sighed. “Just…I’ll explain when we’re in there, alright? It’s good, I promise.”

That seemed to be enough for him. He shrugged and slipped out from under me, giving me one last quick kiss before he left for his room. I exhaled loudly once he was out of ear shot. Alright, back to the plan. Except now it seemed a little underwhelming after Eren just declared his love for me. I scoffed. I don’t think he’d ever find me naked underwhelming if I was being honest. I grabbed the bag and rummaged around it. His present could wait until tomorrow.

In truth, I didn’t have a lot planned. I know Jean said the whole romantic rose petals shit, but I felt like simplicity was better for the first time. Except I did have a few other things planned. Of course I was still intent on surprising him. I smirked when I pulled out the only few items I needed, then shuffled off to the door. I knocked twice. “Close your eyes, Eren,” I said smoothly.

“I thought you said ‘fuck your gift’?” he said.

“Oh, this isn’t your gift. Just do it, alright?” I said.

“Okay- eyes closed,” he said with a laugh.

I waited a few seconds, then opened the door. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, eyes firmly shut. Perfect. I closed the door and stood in front of him, setting the lube and condoms off to the left of the bed. His head shifted with the sound, but he kept his eyes shut. I took a deep breath, then held out the third and final item.

I wrapped a plain black blindfold around Eren’s eyes, tying it behind his head so he wouldn’t be able to see. I felt him exhale shakily as I fumbled to get it on correctly. Just for the first part, I needed him to be patient. I needed some time for myself, without his piercing gaze, to work my way up. “Now, be good and keep that on for a while. I’ll take it off soon,” I crooned.

“A-alright,” he replied.

I climbed back into his lap like I fucking lived there and cupped his face with my hands. I kissed him softly, coaxing him to join in. He did, eagerly, and lapped at my lips with his tongue. I was surprised at his boldness, but definitely a good surprise. I let his tongue explore my mouth, moaning quietly as he did. I moved my hands from his face, down his firm chest until I reached them hem of his sweater. I almost got turned off again when I saw it, but swiftly took it off of him without interfering with the blindfold. His tan, sculpted chest lay bare for me to explore. I started with his collar bone, nipping and biting at the flesh there. He responded with a sigh, grabbing my sides for purchase. I could feel a bulge starting to grow in his jeans, and I wasn’t too far off, either.

“Levi,” he called out,” I want to see you.”

“Soon,” I reassured, kissing everywhere on his chest I could reach. “Just let me have my fun,” I said.

I took his hands from my sides and placed them on my chest, encouraging him to unbutton my shirt. He got the hint, almost furiously undoing the buttons. I chuckled at his eagerness, realizing he was probably just as nervous as I was, and he didn’t even know what was happening yet. He succeeded in getting all of the buttons opened, letting the shirt fall off of my shoulders. His fingers immediately crept over my bare chest, teasing and exploring. I arched into him, letting the sensation of Eren’s hands touching me sink it completely. He touched my chest, arms, stomach, everywhere. With just that, I was straining in my jeans.

I stood up abruptly, grabbing his hand and getting him to do the same. He was confused at first, but once I guided his hands to my zipper, he got the idea. We hastily undid each other’s pants, leaving us both almost completely bare. I crept closer to him until we were standing chest to chest. By this time, we were both almost fully aroused. Neither of us were embarrassed in the slightest about it either. I trailed my mouth over his chest while simultaneously toying at the skin just above his underwear. It was a silent question, asking if he wanted this. He answered by repeating the action to me, nodding his head.

We both slipped down the fabric and stepped out (albeit a bit awkwardly) until we stood naked. I couldn’t help but let my eyes wander to Eren’s thick cock, already completely hard. Turns out swimmers really did shave off all their body hair. I shuttered, realizing he’d be inside me soon, thrusting up into me and alright, maybe bottoming didn’t sound too bad at all.

I pressed back on his shoulders gently, signaling for him to sit back down. I didn’t trust my voice in the moment. He stepped back, knees hitting the bed harder than he expected, making him make a small noise. I laughed lightly, climbing right back on top of him. We both gasped when our cocks touched, not expecting the sensation at all.

“Holy shit Levi,” Eren moaned. “M-maybe the blindfold isn’t such a bad idea.”

I hummed in agreement, rocking my hips into his to find more friction. Our hardened members touched once again, and it took me biting down on my lower lip to keep from screaming. It must have been Eren’s earlier confession mixed with the anticipation of what was to come later, but I was extremely sensitive. Eren apparently was too, hissing at the feeling, but I figured that was the blindfold in play. I wanted to keep grinding into him, moving my hips until we both came screaming, but I had bigger things in mind as well.

I stopped my movements causing Eren to furrow his brow as a complaint, but I kissed him to appease him. “We’re not done yet,” I assured him. Until now, Eren could have thought we were just doing some heavy petting. But I was about to take things farther. I grabbed his hand and held it in front of my chest, reaching for the lube with my other hand. I popped open the cap, smiling in amusement as Eren titled his head at the noise. I took the tube and squeezed a liberal amount onto his fingers, encouraging him to move them to warm it up. His mouth dropped open.

“L-Levi wha- “I cut off his question by lifting myself up on my knees and guiding his hand to my entrance. As soon as his first finger brushed over it he moaned shamelessly, causing a violent shudder to run through me.

“You know what I want you to do?” I asked huskily. He nodded vigorously, so I let go of his wrist, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Then do it,” I whispered.

He tentatively circled me, never dipping his finger in. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, waiting for him to enter. He finally did, easing the tip of his first finger in slowly, barely penetrating. I’ll be honest; I never fucked with putting things in my ass. It just seemed like a lot of work. So as Eren worked his finger in more, the feeling was odd to say the least. I didn’t hurt at all, but damn, it was foreign feeling.

He got his finger in all the way, then started moving it in and out. “Doing okay?” he asked.

I answered with him with a kiss, nodding my head. He smiled briefly, then the determined look went back to his face. I almost laughed until I felt another one of his digits work its way in beside the first. There was a slight stretching feeling, and it hurt a bit, but I didn’t mind. The lube made it a lot easier, his finger sliding it with almost no resistance. He worked them both, thrusting them in and out. Eventually I was beginning to think he was going entirely too slow, but then he started to separate his fingers. The stretching feeling intensified, but it was still bearable. He moved them in and out while opening me up, and I started to pant. I didn’t feel pleasure necessarily, but there was something about having Eren touching the most intimate of places that was turning me on. Heat began to pass through me, igniting my nerves at his every touch.

“One more,” he said breathily. I nodded.

I felt the third finger prod at my hole, and I relaxed. I knew it was going to be worse than the others, but Jean had mentioned relaxing was the best way to make the least amount of pain. A dull burn made its way through me, but it was nothing I couldn’t handle. My cock was hanging heavy and begging for attention as Eren worked those three fingers inside of me, searching. I was panting harder now. With the addition of the third digit, I felt so full. It was different and strange, but I found myself enjoying it nonetheless.

I thought bottoming would be bearable at best. But, when Eren crooked his fingers just right, it was like fire shot through me. My head flew back and my grip tightened around his neck. “Oh, fuck… Eren, Eren shit!” I babbled. I’d heard of how amazing prostate stimulation was, but I’d never thought it be _that_ good. Eren whimpered beneath me, moving his fingers again, brushing over it. I groaned throatily, grinding down on those wonderful fingers.

“Levi please let me see you,” Eren begged. “I need to see what you look like.”

It was my time to nod furiously. I’d gotten over my nervousness rather quickly after experiencing that sort of pleasure. I wanted Eren to see what he did to me. I tore off the blindfold in haste, locking my eyes with his lust blown green ones as soon as they were free of the fabric. He was staring at me with all the lust and pride in the world, mouth still agape. “Levi…you’re so beautiful.”

I stilled above him, not expecting that at all. I decided kissing him was the best course of action, pressing my lips against him hard. Those fingers began to move once again, sending me into a haze of pleasure. I was coming dangerously close to tipping over the edge, and he hadn’t even touched my cock yet. I grabbed his wrist again, stilling him. Pulling away from him, I lifted myself up as he took out his fingers, wincing at the loss. I tapped his legs, getting him to move into the center of the bed. He quickly did as I reached for the condom. I passed it over to him and had to work very hard not to laugh at how comically wide his eyes got. “Y-you mean we’re…?”

I bit my lower lip. Shit, he really was oblivious, wasn’t he? I crawled back over to him swinging one of my legs around him to straddle him. I took the condom and opened it, slipping it over Eren’s generous length. His head lolled back as I slicked him up with lube. “Yes, we are,” I answered. “If that’s okay,” I added quickly.

His eyes widened impossibly. “Of course it’s okay!” he replied. “Is it okay with you?”

I let out a quick laugh and set my forehead against his. “Idiot. I’m initiating, aren’t I?”

He nodded like he had finally put the pieces together. He leaned up and gave me a chaste kiss, but it felt like more. His arms wrapped around me protectively, lovingly. I needed him so fucking badly it hurt. How I ever went without telling him my feelings is beyond me. Before I could protest, I felt Eren gently flip us so I was on my back.

“This how you want to do it?” I asked him. I hadn’t really thought about positions, honestly.

He looked down at me with unsure eyes. “Uh, if you don’t mind. I can see your face this way.”

And damn, if my heart didn’t flutter in my chest. I nodded. This way would be good. Better than good, really. I closed my eyes and parted my legs, a clear invitation for him. I was a little surprised how flustered Eren was, but it also made me feel better. Sure, confident Eren would one day make me fall apart under him, but for now, I needed this calmer, more caring version of him.

I felt his thumb brush over my cheekbone, prompting me to open my eyes. He was staring at me with big, green eyes. “Keep them open? At least for now. I need to know if this is okay.”

I swallowed thickly and nodded. He gave me a reassuring smile, then took a deep breath. “Um, this is my first time with a guy. So, sorry if it sucks.” I chuckled, shaking my head. I doubted there was any way this would suck. His hand went down to guide him into me, and I felt a blunt intrusion at my entrance. I exhaled deeply, expecting the pain. He eased himself in with so much self-control I was going to have to buy him a fucking metal. The head was inside fully, and it definitely felt different than fingers. I grit my teeth and bore through it, Eren’s completely blissed out expression making it worth it wholly. He slid in only a little bit farther, inching his way in. “You feel so good Levi,” he gasped out.

“Keep going,” I encouraged with a broken voice. He listened, pushing his hips forward until he was half way in. He was going so, so slowly, but I didn’t mind. I couldn’t imagine going faster would make it any easier. Finally, Eren’s hips were flush against mine, completely buried inside of me. And, it might have been painful, but it felt so fucking right.

Eren was shaking above me. I knew how much he must be holding back, and that thought alone showed how much he cared for me. I fisted my hands in the sheets beside me, realizing the once pain had subsided into a dull throbbing. My cock was still hard, slicked up with pre-cum, begging to be touched. “Okay Eren,” I said, locking my eyes with his, “move.”

He exhaled and nodded. He pulled out of me slowly until he was about half way inside, then gave short, shallow thrusts into me. He was experimenting, getting me used to the feeling. It was still odd, but I felt a burning desire creep through me. Every time he snapped his hips to mine, I felt it. The need to have him rut into me, get his pleasure purely from me. My mouth dropped open, calling out his name freely.

He picked up his pace when he saw I was beginning to enjoy myself, this time pulling all the way out until only the head was left in, then pushing back. I groaned, never before feeling so fulfilled. “ _Oh…Levi,”_ he breathed. My name falling off his lips like that did unimaginable things to me. I felt my cock twitch as he continued to thrust into me, whispering sweet nothings into my ear like he wasn’t even aware of what he was saying. I wrapped my arms around him, trailing my nails down his back until I reached his firm ass, gripping it tightly as his muscles moved.

“Harder, Eren,” I encouraged. All traces of pain were gone, leaving only the path to bliss. He obliged, thrusting with more force, but not enough to hurt. I noticed he had also shifted his angle, fucking into me at different places, trying to find the spot that would make me see stars. He lifted my hips up almost off the bed, going even deeper than before. It wasn’t long before I felt it.

“Ahh! _There Eren!”_ I wailed. It wasn’t even voluntary at that point. His cock hit my prostate dead on, sending the most intense pleasure through my entire body I had ever experienced. He groaned and nodded, moving his hips so that he’d hit that spot with each thrust. My moans were spilling freely from my mouth, completely without shame or remorse. Eren was still calling out my name mixed with profanities.

My cock throbbed violently, almost to the point of pain from being ignored. But I knew I could cum just from Eren inside of me, continuously stimulating my prostate. I was already getting close. With the beautiful sounds Eren was making combined with the merciless pounding of his cock, it was no doubt I was nearing my finish. I babbled nonsense, hoping he would somehow get the idea. It seems he did, because he moaned loudly and reached his hand down. I gasped when he closed it around my cock, giving one, slow stroke. It was agonizing bliss.

I arched my back, hoping he would speed up his hand. “I-I’m, Eren, so so cl- _ah,”_ I said incoherently, unable to speak as a particularly hard thrust hit my bundle of nerves. Fire was building in my abdomen, spreading through the rest of me.

“Oh my god, Levi,” Eren whined above me. I knew he was close too; his pace was becoming erratic. Knowing that, I threw my head back, and fully let myself succumb to him. His hand finally sped up, tugging at my cock so wonderfully it only took a few more thrusts from him to bring me over the edge.

“E-Eren!” I shouted as I felt the coil in my belly snap. Pleasure erupted out of me as I spilled onto my own chest, chanting his name over and over and the continuous waves of ecstasy rose over me. I was just becoming too sensitive to continue when I heard Eren let out a broken moan, giving one last thrust before meeting his orgasm only minutes after my own.

We were both panting heavily, slumped together on the small twin bed. Eren eventually pulled out of me, making us both groan. He removed the condom and grabbed a few tissues to clean us off, then proceeded to curl up against me like a cat. “Mm,” he grumbled beside me. “Love you, Levi,” he murmured.

I kissed the top of his head. “You too. We’re showering.”

“Aw come on,” he said back lazily, but I could tell there was no real fight in him.

I did eventually get Eren in the shower. It was rather difficult considering that I nearly collapsed when I stood up, not realizing my legs would feel like fucking jelly. Eren sprang into action, even though he himself was pretty tired. We rinsed off and hastily showered, both ready to just curl up and fall asleep. We didn’t even bother drying our hair when we slumped back into the bed.

“Better?” he asked, blinking at me with both eyes.

“Yeah, better.”

“Levi?” Eren asked, eyes almost closed. “Is this why Jean called me a few days ago and asked if I had ever had sex with a guy?”

I laughed silently. “Maybe. Now go to sleep.”

It didn’t take much for him to drift off.

\---

I woke up the next morning facing Eren. We both apparently fell asleep on our sides, but I couldn’t say I minded since I got to wake up to his sleeping face. I groaned and shifted onto my back, stretching my arms above me. I could already feel an ache in my lower back, but it only reminded me of last night. I couldn’t help but smile.

I threw my legs over the bed quietly, trying not to wake Eren. I slowly slid out of the covers and picked up a pair of sweatpants I found on the floor, not even bothering to see if they were mine. I needed to brush my teeth before I started to feel more gross than I already did. When I got in the bathroom, I was a little surprised to see that it was nearly eleven o clock. It was rare for me to sleep in that late. I was happy to find that although I was a bit sore, it in no way affected my walking. That would just be too embarrassing.

I exited the bathroom and found the kitchen, intent on making myself some tea. I was interrupted when I saw Mikasa sitting at the kitchen island, drinking out of a mug and flipping through some magazine. I cleared my throat and walked in, going straight for the tea kettle.

“Morning,” she said with a clear question in her tone. “I thought Eren told you not to come over yesterday?”

I filled up the kettle and set it on the burner. “I came over after your father left,” I answered.

Her eyes narrowed as she watched me. I stood uncomfortably in the kitchen, waiting for the water to boil. Which, seemed like it was taking an eternity. “So you spent the night here?”

I sighed and turned towards her. “No, I just came over here at eleven o clock in the morning to make myself some fucking tea while Eren slept. Do it every morning, actually.”

She flipped me off and turned her barstool towards me, crossing her arms. Suddenly her expression changed into an odd mix of smugness and disgust. “You aren’t wearing a shirt, and those are Eren’s sweatpants. You two fucked, didn’t you?”

I didn’t answer her, only shaking my head and staring at the tea kettle. Maybe if I ignored her she’d go away. It’s not that I was ashamed of being with Eren, but I certainly won’t talk about our sex life, especially not with his sister.

“You totally did,” she said with finality. “Well, I guess I should thank you for waiting until I was gone so I wouldn’t hear.”

Fucking finally, my water boiled, and I went over to pour it into a mug. “It’s more than you and Annie do,” I shot back at her. I swore I saw a faint blush over her features, prompting a triumphant grin from me.

“Whatever. Oh, I found this on the couch last night.” She scooted over a bag on the table- the same bad I brought Eren’s gift in. I had been a little too preoccupied last night to even give it to him. I took it from her with a ‘thanks’, bringing it and my tea into Eren’s room.

I was nervous about giving him his gift. After what he gave me, it just seemed a little impersonal. I know that Eren wouldn’t care even if I didn’t get him anything, but it was still something I couldn’t help but think wasn’t enough. Sure, I had sex with him, but I didn’t consider that a gift.

I tiptoed back into the room, but stopped trying to be quiet once I saw him stretch. I watched as his tan arms moved over his head, highlighting his lithe muscle. His hadn’t put on a shirt yet, and from the looks of how dangerously low the blanket was on his hips, no pants, either. Memories of last night came back to me in a flash, but I had to keep them out of the way for now.

“Morning,” I said, walking over to sit on the side of the bed.

He flipped his head around and gave me a toothy grin. His hair was ridiculously splayed over his head, only making him look that much more attractive. I slipped onto the bed and set the package on the floor, not being able to resist sliding back under the covers with him. My suspicions about him being naked were confirmed when I felt his bare legs wrap up with mine. “Morning,” he said groggily. I let my head hit the pillow and ran my hands through his hair, trying to get it to calm down. It didn’t work.

“Your sister got home,” I told him.

“I thought I heard her,” he said, scooting so his arm wrapped around me.

I welcomed the warmth, letting him with ease. “She knows we fucked.”

His eyes widened for a second, but he quickly recovered and gave a shrug. “She was bound to find out anyway.”

I hummed. He was right; Mikasa had a strange way of finding out things about Eren, even when it was completely unnecessary. She means well, yet it was still fucking weird. I cleared my throat. I had to give Eren his gift now, or I would never build up the courage. “I have your gift,” I murmured.

He visibly perked up at the mention of it. “Can I open it?”

I sighed, but turned over to reach it from the side of the bed. Well, it was now or never. I sat up and Eren did eagerly as well, eyeing the bag with obvious interest. I handed it to him and he smiled brightly at me. He was too damned excitable sometimes.

He leaned up against the pillows and gently took the package, opening it carefully. I held my breath as he got through the last of the tissue paper, revealing the gift. He slowly held it in his hands, looking at it intently.

I struggled to find him a gift. I went around to at least six stores until I finally found something I thought he would like. It was a bracelet with a brown leather band that clasped with a silver clip. The only thing that made it any different from a simple bracelet was a single silver charm. It was shaped like a dolphin, which was one of Eren’s favorite animals. Something about the way they swam made him unbelievably happy.

He stared at it, and for a second, I thought for sure it was because he was unhappy with it. But once I saw the way his mouth quirked into a half smile and his eyes lit up with delight, I relaxed. He flipped it over in his hands a few times, his smile growing every time he did. “Levi,” he said quietly, “this is perfect. I love it.” He reached out his arm and flashed me a wide smile. “Put it on me?”

I nodded and picked up the bracelet, carefully clasping it around his wrist. I had to admit, it suited him. He held up his arm in front of himself, never letting the smile leave his face. “Thank you,” he said warmly.

“It’s just a bracelet,” I mumbled.

He turned his eyes towards me and frowned slightly, then brought one if his hands up to my face. He leaned in close until his lips almost touched mine. “But it’s from you. That makes it special.”

Fucking _shit_ those lines should not work on me. But the amount of sincerity he showed made it impossible not to melt under his touch. I inched forward and connected and kissed him deeply. I didn’t even try to hide how much he meant to me. Because, why would I? Not after everything we’d gone through.

” You’re going to ruin me, Eren Jaeger.”

He smiled. “Not if you ruin me first, Levi Ackerman. “

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that was acceptable, we finally got here :'). Thanks to everyone who has read and given kudos and commented!   
> I expect that this is coming to and end soon, which is sad but my god it's longer than I thought it would be. I'd say five, maybe six chapters left?


	14. Hanji's Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi needs something to get his mind off of Eren, but he doesn't expect what he gets.

Winter break came and went quickly. Eren and I spent a considerable amount of time together after everything that went down on Christmas. And yes, much of that time was in bed. He was insatiable, but I can’t say I minded. It wasn’t long before I became just as experienced as he was, and from there, things just got even better.

The first few weeks passed with little to report. Eren was spending less and less time at home since his important swim meets were going on. I missed him, but it gave me some time to hang around Hanji and Erwin. But this time, Eren was gone for five days straight. He had a long conference that he was competing in and had to go out of town for it. It was important that he went, but I was still upset.

I was moping around my house which was pathetic, but I missed the damn brat. He didn’t have access to his phone most of the time since he was with his team or competing. I understood completely, but it didn’t make it easier.

It made me realize how much I had come to depend on him.

Was it a bad thing? No, not really. But considering I had only gone without seeing him for two days, it was unusual for me. It was exiting in one way to know that I had so fully committed myself, but terrifying as well. I guess that’s really what it meant to love someone.

A buzz from my phone alerted me that I had a text message. My heart jumped, thinking it was Eren, but I was disappointed to find it was Hanji. I sighed and opened the message.

_I’m having a get together at my place tonight, you better be there!_

I contemplating going, but Hanji’s “get togethers” were rarely something I enjoyed. They mostly consisted of groups of people I have never spoken to, alcohol, and Hanji being ridiculous. Before I could promptly decline her offer, I got another text.

_It will get your mind off your missing boyfriend_

I stared at the text. Even though I knew it wouldn’t be much fun, it was true it would make me forget about Eren being gone for a while. Maybe it would be horrible, but it couldn’t get much worse than I already was. So with a skeptical mind, I replied I would be there.

I haven’t regretted anything as much as that reply.

Once I got there, it was obvious the party was in full swing. I could barely make it in the door there were so many people. I shoved through, hoping to either find Hanji so I could disembowel her or a quiet place I could sit. It didn’t look like I was going to find either one after ten minutes of searching.

I had almost given up and decided on going home, figuring this was worthless. I went upstairs, deciding I would check the guest bedrooms for that goggled maniac before I left. This way, she couldn’t say I didn’t come. I did indeed walk into the party, so I was off the hook. I walked up to the first door and almost opened it, then hesitated. It was a bedroom after all and I sure as hell wasn’t going to walk in on god knows who fucking. I knocked twice. “Hanji, you in here?”

No response, so I moved on. I got to the last door with no responses, and knocked once more. I distinctively heard someone shushing someone else. Maybe I had finally found her. “Hanji, open the fuck up if you’re in there.”

“Levi?”

Oh, that wasn’t Hanji. No, it was the unmistakable voice of Erwin Smith. I cocked an eyebrow, wondering who he could have roped into sleeping with him. That’s what I assumed was going on, at least. For some reason I was oddly curious, so I decided to push on. “Who’d you manage to talk into fucking you?” I asked through the door. I could practically feel his annoyed sigh.

“Go away, Levi!” He called back.

Feeling a little annoyed that Erwin could fuck someone while I was left alone without Eren, I ignored him. “This is payback for your Christmas party,” I said smugly.

“You were screwing Eren in my own bed, that was justifiable!”

“They’ve had sex?”

Okay, that wasn’t Erwin’s voice. That sounded strangely familiar, almost like…

“Holy shit, is that Armin in there?” I said with a laugh.

“Yes, it is, and just so you know, Hanji is outside!” Armin called back.

I was almost doubled over in laughter, imagining Erwin’s reaction to all of this. Oh man, I couldn’t wait to tell Eren if he didn’t already know. “Thanks Armin. Have fun in there,” I said back with a smirk. He and Erwin actually made a pretty sensible couple. If anything, it would work out better than Eren and Erwin ever would.

Now, actually feeling a lot better than I did before, I went out to the back door which led to Hanji’s lawn. I could already see a fire going. I couldn’t help but think a bonfire was a horrible idea if Hanji was involved. Sighing, I slid the sliding glass door aside and walked out. Almost immediately, I heard Hanji’s signature laugh. I could see a few familiar faces around her like Petra, but otherwise, I didn’t know anyone she was with. Typical.

“Levi!” she wailed once I walked close enough for her to see. Her arm was wrapped securely around Petra, who looked significantly soberer. “I’m sooo glad you came!” They were all sitting on the ground around the fire, and I hesitantly sat down beside Hanji and Petra.

“You’re so drunk I doubt you’d even remember I was here,” I commented.

Petra giggled loudly, nodding in agreement. “She so is, Levi.”

“Drink with us, my little friend,” Hanji proclaimed, handing me over a cup of whatever the fuck they had been drinking.

“No,” I said flatly.

“Aww, why not? Is it because you’re no fun?”

I frowned and looked back at the two idiots watching me closely. I wasn’t a big drinker. Not being in control of my actions wasn’t appealing to me. But, just for tonight, maybe it would benefit me a little. I knew I wouldn’t drive (I was made to put my keys away before I came in), and the worst that could happen is I do something stupid and no one remembers. “Just a few,” I said firmly.

Hanji and Petra both cheered loudly as I took the drink. “You must be really upset,” Hanji commented, laughing as I quickly downed the alcohol beverage.

“I’m not upset,” I snapped.

“Wait, why is Levi upset?” Petra asked, looking to Hanji.

“His boyfriend is out of town,” Hanji explained.

Petra nodded and gave me a sympathetic smile. “Drink up.”

I groaned and shook my head at them. I wasn’t some loser who could survive without their boyfriend. I just missed him. A lot. That’s it, it was perfectly normal. I missed the way he would call me in the mornings even though we would see each other in ten minutes, and the way he’d run his hands through my hair and make me melt. And how could I not miss his hands all over me, touching, teasing, making me come undone under him. The way he would slide into me so easily, like he was fucking made for me, and-

“Get me another drink.”

Two drinks turned into a lot more than I should have had, and before I knew it, I was positively drunk. Hanji was just as bad, while Petra chose to stay just a little tipsy so she could at least watch over us. Somehow, all three of us ended up in a bathroom. Hanji and I were in the tub while Petra sat on the floor, laughing at how utterly ridiculous we all were.

“I’m just _saying,”_ Hanji slurred, slumped up against me, “I’m totally, one hundred percent asexual, but I’d _so_ let that guy in our bio class do me.”

“Hanji…those two things don’t make sense,” I said back.

“No- you don’t understand,” she said frantically, sitting up and clutching my shoulders. “I’d do it, just to say I did it.”

I scrunched my face, trying to comprehend anything we were saying. We were both too drunk to even attempt it. “Petra, why did you let this happen?” I accused.

She laughed from the floor. “Hey, it got your mind off of Eren, didn’t it?”

I let my head hit the wall and practically whined. “Fuck, I miss him.”

“That’s so sweet,” Hanji commented, setting her head on my shoulder.

“ _He’s_ so sweet,” I mumbled.

Hanji giggled beside me, and for a second, I realized this wasn’t going anywhere good, but I quickly pushed away the rational part of my brain. I knew there was a reason I didn’t drink. I tended to get…honest. Bluntly, way too much information honest. And with Petra and Hanji sitting around me, this was bad.

“Hey Levi,” Hanji said. “Have you two…you know.”

Petra leaned forward like the fucking creep she was and awaited my answer. “Hanji that’s, that’s personal.”

“Eren doesn’t have to know you told me,” she said in a sing song voice.

I sighed deeply. “…Yes.”

Hanji and Petra both squealed loudly, and I was seriously starting to question them. And whatever fucking animes they have been watching that made them so interested in gay sex. “Oh my god!” Hanji yelled. “Oh Levi, please please tell me who topped!”

“No, fuck off,” I said.

I once again felt Hanji grip my shoulders and turn me so I was looking at her. “Petra and I have a bet, Levi! We have to know!”

“You two _bet_ on who would fuck who?”

“Yes, so can you please tell us?” Petra pleaded.

It wasn’t that I was embarrassed to admit I frequently had Eren fuck me into next week, but this shit was personal. But the ounces of liquid courage swimming through my blood stream was cutting off any rational thoughts I had left. I smirked at both of them. “He does the fucking.”

“Hah!” Petra said, pointing at Hanji. “Told you!”

Hanji huffed and sat back against the wall of the bathroom, letting me go. “Well, shit. But damn Levi, that’s hot.”

“Is he good?” Petra asked with wide eyes. I looked at her, almost shocked at how brazen she was being. I mean really, how the hell did she get so corrupted? Fucking Hanji, that’s how.

I snorted and nodded. “Like, really fucking good.”

And just like that, I opened up a window that should have stayed closed forever. Once they figured out how to get me to answer, they were relentless. They were literally no boundaries involved, either. I had fucked up, and I didn’t even realize it.

“Do you have a gag reflex?”

“Does Eren dirty talk?”

“Have you roll played?”

And I answered. Every.Damn.Question. Sober me was going to figure out how to time travel and kick drunk me’s ass for doing something as dumb as this. Hanji had a slight chance of being too drunk to remember everything, but Petra was barely even drunk. My mouth just kept running, and I could only hope Eren would be understanding.

Just when Hanji had casually launched into the discussion of toys, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. Not expecting a phone call from anyone, I curiously took it out. My heart beat faster as soon I as I read the name of who was calling me. “Oh shit…”

“Hm?” Petra said, looking at me. “Is someone calling you?”

“It’s Eren, what do I do?” I asked almost frantically.

“Answer it, duh,” Hanji said with a snort.

“Oh, right,” I said dumbly.

“Come on Hanji,” Petra said, standing up. “Let’s give loverboy some privacy.” Hanji whined for a few seconds, but eventually agreed. Once they had both left, I hurriedly answered the phone. I had been waiting too long to hear Eren’s sweet voice.

“I miss you,” I blurted out.

“ _Uh, Levi? You okay?”_ Eren said back with a nervous laugh.

“No,” I replied indignantly. “I mean yes. But no, because I miss you so fucking much.”

“ _Holy shit, are you drunk right now?”_ Eren asked with another laugh.

There really wasn’t a point in lying to him; it was glaringly obvious. _“_ Mm, Hanji’s idea. Are you upset?”

“ _What? No, of course not. I know you’re safe about it. Anyway,”_ Eren said, amusement clear in his tone, “ _I just wanted to check in on you.”_

I felt myself smile. Maybe the shit was missing me just as much as I was him. That was a nice thought. It would be reassuring to know that I wasn’t the only one going crazy over my feelings. But Eren did have a lot on his mind, so he probably wasn’t near as bad. “I’m alright. I told Hanji and Petra about our sex life.”

I heard a choking noise coming from Eren and almost felt bad, but the alcohol made it almost impossible. “ _W-Why?”_

“She asked, I’m drunk.”

Luckily, he didn’t seem all that made. I swore I even heard him laugh for a second. “ _Well, I guess that’s okay. Um, actually Levi, I sort of have something I wanted to bring up that is…related to that.”_

I sat up in the tub. He wanted to talk about our sex life, now? Shit, if he wanted phone sex I wasn’t sure if I could do that. I was bad enough at expressing myself face to face, saying all that over the phone was going to be near impossible.

“ _And I figure since you’re drunk, you might not remember this, and it’s really embarrassing so I might as well tell you.”_

Okay, not phone sex. At least, I didn’t think so. My mind was too fuzzy.

“ _S-so, Jean was being an ass and teasing me about you and I. He…well, he asked if I had done anything, um, kinky, basically. But I didn’t tell him anything!”_

Oh, god. I didn’t need that image right now. Not when he was hundreds of miles away and I was stuck in a bathtub with nothing better to do than fuck myself thinking of him. I groaned into the phone, completely lacking any shame.

“ _Um, that’s not the embarrassing part,”_ he mumbled. “ _Jean bought me something a while back as a joke, but I sort of kept thinking about it. A-and I don’t know whether you’ll like it or not. So, if you can remember this, when you wake up tomorrow, go to my house and look in the box under my bed and text me what you think.”_

I was still thinking about fucking Eren, but I managed to register what he had asked. Simple enough. But what could Jean have bought him that was so embarrassing? “Okay. I’ll forget. No! Shit, I’ll remember. “

“ _Okay. Just remember, if you don’t like it, it’s completely fine. But if you do…I wouldn’t mind seeing you wear it.”_

“Oka- wait, wear it? Eren, what is it?”

_“Just- ah fuck- please don’t make me say it, okay? I have to go, the guys are coming back soon. Love you!”_

“Love you too,” I mumbled back. _Wear_ it? What the hell had Jean bought him?

The rest of the night was a complete blur. I did eventually get out of the bathtub and into an actual bed which was nice, but how I did still remained to be seen. I must have also drank a lot of water before I slept, because I woke up with a headache, but it wasn’t near as bad as it could have been. Groaning, I shifted over in the bed, starting to get disgusted with myself because I had slept in my clothes which smelt horribly of alcohol. I sat up and looked around me, noticing I was alone in one of Hanji’s spare bedrooms. I needed a shower, and soon.

I managed to climb out of bed, my head pounding more as I did. Maybe the hangover was coming on after all. I blindly walked out of the room, searching for a bathroom. Once I found one, I contemplated just showering here, but I didn’t have a change of clothes and I couldn’t bear to put these back on. I used the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face before heading out.

I noticed a few people passed out on my way to the front door, including Hanji. Before I left, I shook her awake, much to her contempt, but she needed to be up in case her parents got home early. She would thank me later. I eventually found my keys, and drove off, the thoughts of warm water cascading over me fueling my drive back.

Stumbling into my house, I stripped and sprinted to the bathroom. I might have spent thirty minutes just standing under the water, but it was definitely worth it. After I finally felt clean, I went down into the kitchen and took some pain killers for my head and ate a small breakfast. But all the while, I couldn’t help but feel like I was forgetting to do something important.

I tried to recall everything that happened. There was sitting around the fire, drinking, the bathroom…what exactly happened in there? I knew Petra and Hanji were with me, and I’m pretty sure we talked about Eren, but that’s about all I could remember. Wait, I talked with him, too. But about what, I couldn’t be sure. I knew for sure I was forgetting something. Sighing, I picked up my phone.

“ _Mmm, what is it_?” Petra groaned 

“Morning to you too. I need to ask you about last night. How much do you remember?”

Petra giggled. “ _Most of it. I wasn’t that drunk.”_

Ah, I remember that now. She stayed with Hanji and I but didn’t drink nearly as much. “Okay, well I think I’m supposed to do something today, but I don’t know what. Any ideas?”

More laughter from Petra. This didn’t sound good at all. “ _Oh, yeah. I have a lot of ideas. You talked on the phone with Eren, and he asked you to look under the bed and tell him if you like what you find. Apparently, he wants you to wear something naughty. Your words, not mine.”_

I blinked. Oh. _Oh._ Now our conversation was coming back to me. Everything I told Hanji and Petra, Jean’s present…” Petra, I have to go. “

“ _Fine, but you promised you would tell me what it is!”_

I hung up and immediately grabbed Eren’s spare house key. My heart was pounding wildly, almost outdoing my headache. I really had no idea what he could be hiding, but I desperately wanted to know. I shuffled out of my house, trying to stop myself from running the 500 or so feet to Eren’s house. Hopefully, Mikasa wouldn’t be home, or would be sleeping. It would be awkward if she was home, because that wouldn’t stop me.

Finally, I got into the Jaeger’s home, shutting the door behind me. I took a breath and started towards Eren’s room. His door was wide open, and I didn’t hear or see any evidence that Mikasa was home. Perfect. I slipped inside, shutting the door behind me, just in case.

I didn’t waste time. I kneeled and peered under the bed, eyes landing on a small, shoe box sized box. I frowned at Eren’s choice of hiding spot, but that was beside the point. I reached under and pulled it out, staring at it once I set it on my lap. I swallowed thickly before opening the lid.

Whatever was inside was covered by packing paper, but a small note sat on top. I picked it up and read it, obviously in Jean’s handwriting.

_Jaeger I am so done hearing about your god damned perverted fantasies. You better be fucking happy I went through so much shit for you._

Wait, Eren had said it was a joke, but this apparently went farther than that. I set the note down and Pushed away the rest of the paper inside. My mouth went dry once I did.

“Oh, god,” I murmured to myself. With almost shaking fingers, I picked up the fabric from the box. Inside were a pair of black lace panties, with a small bow in front. Along with that, a matching pair of thigh highs sat next to it.

Honestly, my first reaction was _fuck no._ There was no way I could pull off something like that. But Eren had never really asked me for anything when it came to this sort of thing. He was always open to whatever I wanted, even offering to bottom (which I would for sure take him up on, I just hadn’t gotten enough confidence yet). I closed my eyes and tried to picture Eren’s reaction if I were to go through with it. Would his eyes darken with lust as he stared at my legs? Would he rush over to me, flip me over and sink his fingers into my ass? My heartbeat started to quicken as I let my imagination run. Eren, moving the fabric away from me so he could slip his fingers in.

Christ, I was getting turned on by the thought of myself wearing _panties._

I needed to tell Eren I definitely wanted this before I lost my nerve. I reluctantly set the pieces back in the box and set them in their hiding place. Scrambling for my phone, I dialed him. I was afraid he wasn’t going to answer after the fourth ring, but his voice sounded.

“ _Morning, Levi,”_ he said, sounding a bit hesitant.

“Eren, my answer is yes.”

He paused, then I heard him let out a shaky breath. “ _You remembered?”_

“Yeah,” I breathed. “I’m…willing to try it. “

“ _I wasn’t sure if you would like it, but I’m glad you do. Shit Levi, I can’t wait to see you in them.”_

I groaned, my head hitting the back of Eren’s bed. I could feel my erection throbbing in my pants, begging for attention. “And I can’t wait to have you fuck me in them, Eren. But unless you have time for phone sex, we’re going to need to stop talking now.”

Eren laughed airily from the other line. “ _I’ve got to be downstairs in five minutes. Rain check on the phone sex.”_

I quickly hung up. My heart was still racing, and now I was fucking hard. Because of _lace panties._ I’d never exactly been the kinky type. Vanilla sex was fine with me, but it’s not like I had a lot of experience with anything else. The fact that Eren wanted something different but didn’t tell me was a little disappointing. I had to remember to ask him what else he might like to try when he got home. But first, I had to do something.

After calming myself down by thinking of anything but Eren, I had willed my erection away. Quickly, I locked Eren’s door just in case Mikasa came home. I stripped off my pants and underwear, leaving my lower half bare. I considered leaving my shirt on, but then just said fuck it and removed everything. Then, with almost shaking hands, I picked up the box again. “The things I do for this little shit,” I mumbled, trying not to think about the items I was grabbing.

I made sure to stay away from the mirror on his door while I put on the underwear first. I sat back down once they were in place, surprisingly comfortable. Maybe this wasn’t too terrible. Next, I slipped on one of the thigh highs and smoothed it out, doing the same with the other. Overall, it wasn’t too bad as far as comfort went. I tapped my fingers on the bed, still not quite looking at myself. But I knew that if I wasn’t sure about this, Eren wouldn’t push it. Standing up, I walked in front of the mirror.

Heat rushed to my cheeks as soon as I looked. The dark material of the clothing contrasted my pale skin, making me appear even more fair skinned then I was. The stockings hugged my toned legs to perfection, leaving no dip or curve unseen. And don’t even get me started on the fucking panties. They were tight, obviously not meant to hold what they were currently holding. I swallowed thickly. If I was being completely honest…I may have thought I looked pretty good.

I silently wondered what else Eren had told Jean, because I couldn’t say I minded this. Now I just had to wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am slowly going off the rails here, but I do have some plot related things going on next chapter, and then just a few left after that. I'm thinking 18 is the final count.


	15. Anticipation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While things start out well for Eren, he's floored by a visit from his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut warning for the first part of the chapter, then it goes to shit. Its an Eren POV

I had never been so excited to return home in my life. Going without Levi for five days was bad enough, but knowing that he was willing to wear what was under my bed was almost too much to handle. I was glad that I had almost constant competitions throughout the week, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to focus on anything else.

“What’s wrong with you?” Annie asked me. She had also gone to the competition for the girl’s team and agreed to drive me home once we got back in town.

“Nothing,” I said hurriedly.

“You’re fidgeting more than usual, which is saying something.”

“I’m just anxious to get home,” I mumbled.

“Whatever,” she said, turning into the familiar neighborhood.

I had already texted Levi and told him that I was on my way. He had asked me if it was okay if he waited for me at my house in my room. I agreed readily. Annie kept driving until I saw my house, and I realized she was probably going to come in and see Mikasa.

“Hey Annie…are you and Mikasa going to hang out?” I asked.

She pulled over and looked at me skeptically, until a barely perceivable smirk crossed her angular face. “She’s coming with me back to my house. Any particular reason you don’t want us there?”

I turned my head away from her, knowing that if I denied it she would surely know. “Levi’s waiting for me.”

 “Ah,” she said simply.

She drove the extra length, pulling over again once we were outside of the house. My pulse began to rise. “Thanks Annie.” Right as I said it, I saw Mikasa walking out of the house. I got out of the car and smiled at her as she came up and hugged me firmly. I laughed, returning the embrace.

“Good trip?” she asked.

“Yeah- we won almost everything we entered.” Mikasa nodded, then turned her eyes towards Annie. I didn’t need to be around for their reunion, so I cleared my throat awkwardly. “Well, I’m going in, see you around.” Mikasa looked at me strangely, but Annie was still looking amused.

“Have fun wrecking shorty’s ass.”

I gaped at her as she smiled devilishly at me, then pulled Mikasa into a hug before she could react. I’m sure my face was red with embarrassment. I tried to calm myself before turning around and jogging up the steps to my house. I didn’t knock, assume Mikasa had already told him we were home. When I stepped in, my attention was taken by an envelope on the floor.

I looked down and saw a note with my name on it, clearly written in Levi’s handwriting. I bent down and picked it up, opening it to read what was inside.

_Welcome home, Eren. Come to your room for a surprise._

I let out a shaky breath. I knew we decided we would try out what Jean had bought for us, but he couldn’t already be wearing it, could he? I practically sprinted back to my room, pausing when I got to the closed door. I knocked once. “Levi? I’m home.”

“Come in, then,” he called. I swallowed thickly at his tone. It was dark and sinful, just hearing it made my knees weak. I cautiously turned the knob, stepping in and looking towards his bed immediately. My jaw dropped.

There was Levi, sprawled out on my bed, shirtless, and wearing the lace underwear and thigh highs I had hidden under my bed. His head was propped up on his hand lazily, and a devious smirk played on his lips. I couldn’t take my eyes away from his legs, perfectly accented by the tight fabric that clung to him like a second skin. And the _panties._ The outline of his cock was visible through the almost sheer fabric, and I almost whined at the sight.

“You can keep staring, or you can come over and touch,” he said invitingly.

My legs moved before I could process what he had said fully. I stalked over to him, then pushed him so he was on his back instead of his side. I put my knees on either side of him, and without another word, I crashed my mouth onto his. He made a keening noise as soon as our lips touched. It had been too long since I had been able to touch him, feel him, show him what he meant to me. I pushed forward, and he greedily opened his mouth to me. As soon as I tasted him, I knew I was done for. His hands clung to my shirt, tugging on it, asking for me to remove it. I broke the kiss and quickly threw it off. Before I could go back to kissing him, I was frozen by the sight beneath me.

Seeing Levi in those fucking panties and thigh highs under me was almost enough to make me cum right there. I sat back and looked at him fully, completely lost in lust. This walking sex god was my boyfriend, and I could have him if he let me. I leaned down again, this time burying my face in his neck.

“You’re stunning,” I whispered, nipping at his sensitive neck. “Perfect. _Beautiful.”_

“S-shut up,” he replied weakly, trying to stop himself from thrusting blindly. He was panting hard already, eyes glassed over with desire.

“I can’t,” I said, sucking more harshly onto his neck. He let out a choked moan, and I smiled. “Besides, I think you might like it when I talk like that.”

I could tell he tried to glare at me, but it only looked desperate as his eyes met mine. I decided enough was enough; I was already hard, and looked down to find Levi was as well. He was straining in his panties, a wet spot obvious in the front. I couldn’t wait any longer. I sat up and unbuckled my pants, slipping them down and maneuvering out of them. I kept my underwear on for now, moving down Levi’s body until my face was directly over his erection. My mouth almost watered at the sinful image in front of me.

“Come on Eren,” Levi said, thrusting his hips impatiently. “I’ve waited long enough and you made me put this stupid shit on.”

“I’m so glad you did, Levi,” I whispered, running my hands over his thighs, marveling at the feeling of the thin fabric of the tights. “You don’t know how many times I imagined this.”

I leaned down and mouthed over his cock through the fabric, loving the way he moaned in response. “Y-you’re a fucking pervert,” he struggled to get out.

I only smirked, then ran my tongue over his bulge. His hands were fisting the sheets beside him, and his eyes clamped shut. I loved teasing Levi and seeing him get so worked up. I continued my treatment until the front of his panties were soaked with a mixture of pre-cum and saliva, then finally pulled back. “Turn over for me,” I asked.

His eyes shot open. “You aren’t even going to blow me after all that?” he almost whined.

I laughed darkly. “I’ve got something else in mind.”

He eyed me skeptically, but didn’t waste time in turning over so his stomach was on the bed. And _fuck_ , was it a pretty sight. Levi’s ass was so perfectly framed by the silky black fabric, I groaned at the sight. I couldn’t help but run my fingers over it, digging my fingers in. I heard him gasp as I did.

I ran my fingers under the panties, teasing the skin around there. I got closer and closer to his hole each time, but never brushed over it. Levi was almost shaking under me. “Eren, please do something,” he said, turning his head around to look at me. My cock twitched from hearing him so needy. I couldn’t say no to that.

Moving the fabric but not taking it off yet, I ran my index finger over his hole. My eyes widened as I felt slickness there. “Levi, did you…?”

“I got impatient,” he explained. “I’m ready, so just fuck me.”

I bit my lip to keep myself from moaning. I’d never seen Levi this desperate before, and it was a huge turn on. But I didn’t want this to end so quickly. I wanted to tease him until he was reduced to an even bigger mess. “Soon, I promise,” I told him. “I want to try something.”

He groaned in annoyance, but didn’t move from his position. I kept the panties away from his hole, then leaned down. Without warning, I ran my tongue over his entrance, burying my face in his ass.

“W-what the _hell,”_ he gasped.

I pulled back, afraid he wasn’t into this at all. “Shit, sorry I should have asked. I’ll stop, okay?”

“No!” he said suddenly, turning to look at me. His face darkened as soon as he said it, then averted his eyes. “I just wasn’t expecting it. You can…you can keep going,” he mumbled, cheeks bright with a blush.

I grinned. I didn’t want to embarrass him further, so I only nodded, then went back to his perfect ass. I stuck my tongue out again, running it over his twitching hole. He moaned shamelessly, and I could tell he didn’t mean to let it out. I spread his cheeks with my hands, licking and sucking him, trying to get him to make that noise again. I finally dipped my tongue in, and I could tell he had prepared himself well.

“Oh-hah- fucking shit, Eren!” he called wantonly, rubbing himself up against the sheets to try and get some friction to his cock. I mercilessly lapped at his ass, and if I weren’t so turned on, I’d probably be embarrassed by the obscene noises I was making. I’d never imagine doing this with anyone, but with Levi, I wanted every part of him. Being able to taste him like this, it was so lewd, so intimate, I couldn’t help myself from indulging.

I could feel my own cock begging for attention, and I knew I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I pulled away from him, staring at the lustful sight in front of me. I needed him, and I needed him now. “How do you want to do this?” I asked, leaning over and rummaging through the night stand for a condom.

He sat up on shaking limbs, and looked at me. “Well, I wanted to ride you but I’m not sure I can after that,” he said with a chuckle. I almost fell off the bed, scrambling for purchase once I got the condom. I took my underwear off, then tore it open, hastily putting it on. I heard Levi laugh at me, but I was too turned on to care. I had also grabbed the lube, spreading some over my dick and throwing it off the bed once I did.

“Let’s try. If you get too tired, I’ll take over,” I rasped. Levi nodded, letting me lie back on the bed. He started to slip the panties off of himself, but I leaned up and grabbed his wrist one he started with the sotckings.

“Um…could you keep them on?” I asked weakly.

He smirked at me. “You _are_ a pervert.” He didn’t seem to mind, though. He pushed me back on the bed, straddling my hips as he did. I watched, completely enthralled as he lined himself up on my cock. I reached back and grabbed the headboard, waiting for him to move. He grinned at me devilishly, then slowly sank down on my cock. I threw back my head and moaned loudly, not being able to hold myself back.

He braced his palms on my chest, then took me farther until he was full of my cock. His erection was straining as he panted on top of me, getting adjusted to the feeling. I desperately wanted to buck my hips up, but I knew he needed to wait. It didn’t take long until he was moving back up, then sinking back down. He threw his head back, biting his lower lip as he did.

“Levi, you always feel so fucking good,” I said, watching him move up and down on my cock. It was pure bliss in every sense of the word.

He continued to move himself, desperately looking for that spot that would make him scream. I ran my hands over his sides, pulling forward, encouraging him to lean further up. He complied easily, taking his hands from my chest and bracing himself with one on either side of my head. I pushed my legs up so my feet were planted on the bed. Levi’s eyes were pleading, and I smirked before I bucked my hips up into him.

“Ah! _Eren”_ Found it. I kept moving my hips to hit that spot while he moaned and whined above me. He was simply intoxicating. The heat and pressure in my abdomen was already starting to build, but I hadn’t expected to last long as soon as I saw Levi. He seemed to be losing it as well. I snaked one of my hands down his chest, gripping his dripping cock. He nearly screamed at the contact. He fucked himself into my hand while I thrust into him continually, picking up the pace.

“L-Levi, I’m close, fuck, _fuck,”_ I babbled.

He only nodded his head furiously, keeping up the pace we had set. I was bucking wildly, seeking the pleasure I knew only he could give me. I couldn’t imagine being with anyone but Levi anymore, not like this. I realized how much he meant to me a long time ago, but this was different. I used my hand not pumping his cock to reach around his neck and pull him down for a bruising, passionate kiss. He nearly collapsed on top of me, but kissed back just as fiercely.

I heard a muffled moan that sounded like a broken scream of my name, then felt his cock twitch in my hand. He came onto my hand and his own stomach, crying out weakly as I fucked him through his orgasm.

“Come one Eren, cum inside me,” he whispered against my lips.

Just like that, I was gone. I arched into him, mercilessly pounding into his ass as I felt myself release. I moaned his name, finding ecstasy within him. I thrust lazily until I was spent. Levi collapsed on top of me, and I didn’t even have it in me to complain. I’m sure he would make us shower, anyway. He only moved so I slipped out of him, then fell back atop my chest. I laughed languidly, stroking his hair.

“I love you,” I said with a huge grin.

“Yeah,” he said dreamily. I laughed again, feeling a bit smug with how out of it he was.

“You alright?”

He hummed against my chest, tilting his head so he could see me. “Besides the fact that I can’t move my legs, yeah. I’m going to have to thank Jean. But I need to get these things off, they’re disgusting.”

I agreed with him, sitting up with the last of my strength, and taking him with me. They were extremely tight, and I ended up having to take them off for him. I couldn’t stop laughing the entire time as Levi was too tired to even help.

“Finally,” he said with a sigh as I had gotten them off. I smiled, then stood up to run to the bathroom. I cleaned myself up first, then brought a washcloth to Levi. I sat back down on the bed where he was smiling dumbly at me, laying on his back. I cleaned off his stomach, then placed it aside. I leaned down and kissed him gently. When I pulled back, he was still smiling.

“I love you too, by the way.”

“Well good,” I said with a chuckle. “Seriously, thank you for doing this for me. It was perfect.”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re welcome you giant sap.”

I smiled broadly and laid down beside him, curling up against his side. We were gross and sweaty, but Levi wasn’t even mentioning a shower. It really was the perfect moment.

 We were both in complete content when we heard the door open. I sat up, furrowing my brow.

“Mikasa forget something?” Levi asked me.

“Maybe,” I said back. I listened closely, hearing footsteps in the kitchen. I wasn’t worried about an intruder or anything, but it was strange for Mikasa to forget things. Unless…

“Levi, what day is it?” I asked frantically.

“The first of February,” he said back with confusion.

“Shit!” I whispered wildly, shooting up from the bed. “Shit, I’m so stupid!”

“Eren, what the hell is going on?” Levi asked me worriedly.

I scrambled to find my clothes, picking up whatever looked like it was mine from the floor. I heard the footsteps coming closer to my room. “It’s my dad,” I explained. “He comes home for a week in February every year because that’s when he takes his vacation.”

“Hey, hey- Eren,” Levi called, sitting up from the bed as well. “We’re fine, I’ll lock the door, okay?”

I nodded absentmindedly, finally finding my sweatpants and slipping them on while Levi got up and locked the door. I threw on my shirt, about to ask Levi where his clothes were before walked over to my desk and started to unfold the clothes he had set there. I felt like a complete ass, ruining what was a blissful moment with my family bullshit.

“I’m really sorry,” I said, shaking my head.

He sighed, then walked over to me and cupped my face with his hand. “It’s alright, Eren. I’m just glad he didn’t come home any sooner,” he said. “Are we going to hide in here or go see him?”

I stood and thought, not knowing what the better option was. He had met Levi before, but I don’t think he would be happy if he knew we were dating. To be honest, I never asked him what his thoughts on same sex relationship was. Mikasa never told him, but I think that was more just because she never felt close enough to tell him. “Let’s just go see him. Do I have sex hair?”

He snorted. “Yeah, but you sort of always do.”

I rolled my eyes and moved around him, unlocking the door and stepping out. Levi came up beside me, and I held myself back from grabbing his hand. I looked around and didn’t see him, so I went into the kitchen. I smelt coffee brewing before I saw him sitting at the kitchen island.

I stopped as he looked up, small smile gracing his aging features. “Hello, Eren. And Levi, right?”

I almost scoffed at the fact that he wasn’t even sure of my best friend’s name.

“Yeah. Good to see you again, Mr. Jaeger,” Levi replied emotionlessly.

“Mikasa around?” My dad asked.

“No, she’s with Annie,” I replied, walking further into the room.

“Ah. She’s close with her, huh?”

I looked at him skeptically. He was actually trying, which wasn’t something I was used to. To be honest, I resented my dad for a long time. Leaving Mikasa and I like he did hurt so badly, but I had some twisted understanding of why he did it. Even though I still hated him for what he did, I knew he still loved us. He did try and provide for us, giving us weekly checks and calling us often. So I guess it could be worse, but it certainly wasn’t an ideal situation.

“She is,” I replied with a shrug.

There was an awkward pause, both Levi and I not knowing what to say, and my dad apparently feeling the same. I glanced over a Levi who was simply leaning against the wall, letting me take lead with the conversation. Or just trying to hide.

“So…” my dad started, looking both of us over, “what have you two been up to?”

He didn’t ask in a way that made me think he knew what we were doing, but I tensed anyway. It was clear he didn’t suspect anything, but I was just so worried about him finding out it scared me.

“Just studying,” Levi replied. “He can use all the help he can get, after all.”

My father chuckled and I silently thanked Levi for being more composed than I was. “Well I’m glad he has you, Levi.”

I stared, both shocked and suspicious at how amicable he was being. It’s not like he’s a bad person or anything, but the fact that he was being kind and genuinely interested in my life was just so different for him. Neither Levi nor I said anything after that, and if I had to guess, he was just as confused as I was.

“Well, maybe I should head to the store,” my dad said, standing up. He was obviously feeling the awkward atmosphere. “I’ll cook dinner tonight. Eren, we have some things we should talk about.”

“Um, alright,” I replied, looking over to Levi. The way he said it didn’t sound bad, but I couldn’t think of anything he would have to say to me.

My dad smiled at the both of us, grabbing his keys from the counter. “Sounds good. I’ll see you in an hour. It was nice seeing you again, Levi.”

He left us, and for a while, we simply stood without moving. Usually when he got home around this time of year, there was silence, and a lot of it. Understandably, really. Maybe he’d ask how Mikasa and I’s grades were or what our plans were after high school, but _cooking dinner?_

“What the shit just happened?” Levi asked, breaking the silence.

“I’m not sure. Maybe he was drunk?”

“No way, he was too clear.”

I ran my hands through my hair, trying to process the situation. It was in no way a bad situation, but it was just so confusing. Why was he was suddenly acting like a parent when Mikasa and I were practically adults? Not that I was complaining, it just seemed so bizarre.

“You want to shower?” Levi asked offhandedly.

I sighed. “I mean, I guess so. He’s obviously not coming back for a while.”

So Levi and I showered together, both too weirded out to do anything other than get clean. I had texted Mikasa, warning her that dad was home, and acting rather strange. She replied quickly, informing me that she was coming home to see for herself.

“Should I leave?” Levi asked me once we were done showering and back in my room.

“I don’t want to sound like an ass, but I think so. Whatever it is he needs to talk about, I doubt he’ll want anyone else around,” I said apologetically.

“I get it,” Levi said honestly. “You don’t think he suspects us, do you?” Levi said.

I shook my head. “No, he seemed pretty oblivious. It’s not like we gave him many clues, anyway.”

Levi nodded. “Tell me how it goes, alright? Just…just text me if you need anything,” he mumbled.

I couldn’t help but smile as he turned his head away. I stood up from the bed and pulled him in for one more kiss, savoring the taste. “I will. I’ll do it as soon as I find out.”

He sighed against me, but did eventually leave. Just in time, too- my dad returned not five minutes later, hauling in bags of groceries. I went to help him, going out to his car and grabbing the seemingly endless stream of plastic. “Think you got enough groceries, dad?” I asked, almost out of breath.

“Well, maybe I went a bit overboard.”

I didn’t disagree as I closed the door behind me, then immediately started to unload the bags. The atmosphere was still tense and I didn’t know how to make it feel more at ease. We silently unpacked the variety of different items. I had never seen our fridge so full once we had finished.

“So when will your sister be home?”

“It shouldn’t be long now,” I assured. At least I hoped.

He nodded. “I’ll get started on dinner, then. I’d like to wait until both of you are here to discuss things.”

“Right,” I murmured. “I’ll just go to my room.”

“Ah, alright.”

I cleared my throat and walked off. Mikasa needed to get here and quickly, because I wasn’t sure of how much more of this I could take. I pulled out my phone once I got back to my room and saw she had texted me a few minutes ago saying she was almost here.

I paced in my room, not feeling like doing much else. I heard the door open, meaning Mikasa was home. I debated whether I should run out and greet her, but stopped myself. She probably needed a few minutes alone with him. I stood anxiously in my room, listening to the muffled voices from the kitchen until I heard a knock on my door. I yanked it open and pulled Mikasa inside.

“He’s weird, right?” I whispered.

She sighed, nodding her head. “Yeah. He actually asked me about Annie and school…what does he want?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. Did he tell you he wants to talk about something?”

She furrowed her brow. “No, about what?”

“Just said he wants to discuss something over dinner.”

“Shit. He’s making stew, Eren. Something has to be going on.”

I started pacing again. “Or he’s just trying harder.”

Mikasa gave me a blank look and rolled her eyes. “I doubt it.”

So did I. Maybe he was trying to be a part of our lives, but it wasn’t just out of the blue. There had to be another reason.

Mikasa and I ended up setting the table while he cooked. I hated to say it, but the stew he was making did smell pretty incredible. Whatever he was planning, at least I’d get a decent meal out of it. It took another hour to get ready, so we all just sort of made awkward small talk. It was clear we were all waiting to get to the real point of the evening.

Finally, dinner was ready. We sat down around the table, Mikasa and I on one side, my dad across from us. He served us all, and I was right about the food. “This is really good, dad,” I said, scooping up another spoonful.

“Thank you. It was your mother’s recipe, so I’m sure it doesn’t compare to hers.”

I smiled faintly. Come to think of it, I did remember eating something like this when we were young.

“I didn’t think you could cook,” Mikasa mumbled.

He laughed, and it almost made me forget that he probably had some secret agenda.

We continued to eat until it was clear that Mikasa and I were simply waiting for him to speak up. It was now or never. Grisha cleared his throat, setting his plate aside. “You’re wondering what it is I’m going to talk about, right?”

Mikasa and I both looked at each other, then back to him. “Pretty much.”

He nodded his head a few times. “I’m sorry if this whole day was a bit much. I’ve just…I’ve been doing some thinking, and I wanted to do something nice for you both, but as I think about it, it probably seems like I’m just trying to butter you up.”

I heard a barely audible scoff from Mikasa. I eyed him carefully, and when he was sure neither of us were going to stop him, he continued.

“I’m just going to come out and say it; I know I’ve wronged you both. When your mother…” he trailed off, shaking his head. “When we lost her, I didn’t know what to do. Not only did I lose the woman I loved, I lost my best friend, the mother of my children, and my partner. I was so…so _lost_ that I forgot what I still had. You two.”

I swallowed thickly, averting my eyes from him. I already knew all of this, but hearing him say it was different. Hearing him admit what he had done to both of us was a feeling I couldn’t understand.

“I may not have abandoned you completely, but I wasn’t there for what counts. It probably doesn’t mean much now, but I am truly sorry. I can’t expect you to forgive me, but I want to try and make it up to you.”

“Make it up to us?” I said with a grimace. “You can’t make up ten years of lost time, dad. We both get what you did and why you did it, but apologizing doesn’t change the fact.”

Mikasa had reached under the table and grabbed my hand, squeezing gently. The truth was, we didn’t need him anymore. Maybe we once had, but we were fine on our own now. “Eren’s right. We don’t hate you for what you did, but it isn’t something we can forget.”

He looked utterly defeated, like a man who had finally realized the wrong he did. In truth, I felt sorry for him. I couldn’t imagine losing someone so important to you, but it didn’t negate what he did.

“You’re right- both of you. But what I’m trying to say is that I’m going to try and fix things. I want to-to actually know my kids, to be there. God knows you’re barely kids anymore,” he mumbled.

“What are you suggesting?” I asked nervously.

He looked up, and for a second, a saw hope flash across his eyes. “I want to live with you both again. Actually live with- not whatever I’ve been doing.”

There was silence between all of us. I didn’t know what to say to him. After all, it was his house. Even if I wanted to say no, it wasn’t like it would have any real affect. It had been at last three years since he had lived with both of us. I could appreciate the fact that he was trying to get his act together, but I couldn’t help but wonder why now.

“So you’re going to move in permanently?” Mikasa asked.

My dad cleared his throat and rubbed his hands together anxiously. “That’s the thing. This house and neighborhood; it reminds me so much of your mother. I’m not…no, I know I can’t handle that. It’s all too much. So I’d like you and Eren to come with me to Sina. I’ve picked out a house with three bedro-“

“You want us to _move?”_ I hissed.

“Hear me out, Eren,” he said sternly. “I’ve already checked with the school there, they would allow Mikasa to finish out the remainder of her senior year and you your junior even though its already past the second semester. I think the change would be good for you both, and me.”

I couldn’t think, couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He was so fucking selfish! He didn’t even think about the fact that he would be completely uprooting Mikasa and I’s lives. She had already applied to universities around here so she could stay and live with me, and I was on my way to gaining sports scholarships next year.

“You can’t do this,” Mikasa declared darkly. “You don’t get to come back and expect us to leave our home for you.”

“I know it isn’t fair,” he said, defeated. “But don’t you two want a family again?”

I dropped my head. I _had_ a family. Armin, Mikasa Levi- they were all I needed. Fuck, I couldn’t leave Levi. Not now when things were going so well. Not when I realized how much I loved him. And Mikasa would be leaving Annie, and I knew how much she meant to her. “Of course we do, but leaving the family we’ve made here will only make things worse,” I said softly.

I didn’t raise my head to see his reaction. I knew he would be hurt. Deep down, I knew this is what he needed to move on. Mikasa and might have already, but he was stuck. He never got over my mother’s death.

Was I being selfish? If this could truly help him, truly make him whole again, then was it my burden to have to go with him? I buried my face in my hands. It was all so confusing. Leaving Levi and my other friends seemed impossible and unbearable. Levi was going to graduate soon. He hadn’t spoke of his plans, so what if he was already arranging to go somewhere far away?

I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want to be apart from Levi. But…this was about more than me. Every part of me wanted to scream at him, make him realize what he was really asking. Still, once I finally looked at my father and saw how utterly broken he looked, something held me back.

“I can’t stay here,” Grisha said so softly I almost didn’t hear it. “It’s so selfish of me, but I can’t think of another way. I won’t lose you two again.”

“We don’t want to lose you either,” I said, feeling the tears well up behind my eyes. “But this…do you know how many memories I have here? How many experiences I’ve gone through?”

“Of course he doesn’t Eren, he wasn’t here,” Mikasa said flatly.

“Mikasa, stop,” I scolded. “Just…fuck, I don’t know what else to say, dad.”

He nodded grimly. “This isn’t something either of you want, I can see that. Just please, think about it. You have until the end of the week. But Eren…you are seventeen. You should be legally living with a guardian.”

“Is that a threat?” I asked with a scoff.

“I just think it would be best for you.”

“I think Eren and I need to go talk for a while,” Mikasa said, standing up from the table. I agreed, getting up as well. Grisha nodded a few times, letting us go. Only, I had no intention of talking to Mikasa. I needed to be alone, actually think this whole thing through without her first.

Before I could protest, Mikasa grabbed my arm and yanked me into her room, shutting the door loudly behind us.

“We can’t do this,” she said fiercely. “I’ve already been accepted to Trost University, and if I keep my grades up, I’m getting a scholarship. Annie is here, Levi is here, everyone we care about is here.”

“I know,” I shot back. “I don’t want this either, alright? But did you fucking see him, Mikasa? He’s…he’s desperate. And I get he hasn’t been there, but we’ve survived because of him.”

She stared at me in disbelief. “We survived because of each other- not him! You want to move five hours away for a man who left when we needed him most?”

“No, I fucking don’t! But this isn’t just about me, okay? It’s about more than me, more than you. And let me ask you this; do you honestly think if we say no he’ll respect that?”

That got her to hesitate. She closed her mouth and grit her teeth. “Maybe not.”

I sighed loudly and sat down on her bed. “You heard what he said. Technically, I have to go with him when he moves. If he decided he doesn’t care what I want, I’ll have to go.”

“I won’t let that happen,” she said weakly.

“There isn’t anything you could do. You can stay here legally since you’re eighteen. Promise me you will if I have to move,” I said firmly.

“I’m not leaving you!” she yelled.

“Mikasa please, you can’t go just because I might have to. Promise me right now you’ll stay. That way you can live here and keep your scholarship, and then I can move back as soon as I turn eighteen,” I pleaded.

“Why are you making it sound like this is already set in stone? Why are you so sure?”

I hung my head and growled. “Because this is what he fucking does and you know it! I’m going to fight this as much as I can, but if things don’t work out, promise me.”

I could see her eyes had begun to glass over with tears. She pulled up her scarf and turned so only her ide was facing me. I hated this. I couldn’t believe my father had fucked up so royally with us again. “Fine. I’ll stay here, no matter what.”

I sighed in relief. “Thank you, Mikasa.”

“But you have to talk to Levi before you make a decision,” she said coldly. “See if he can understand.”

I nodded. “Alright.”

Mikasa pulled her scarf up. I stared at the floor, completely defeated. All I could think of was Levi. It’s not like I thought we would break up because of the move, but there was just so much in the way. Where would he go to college? What if he was planning to stay because of me and I ruined his plans? I stood up from the bed abruptly, not listening to whatever it was Mikasa was saying.

I ran to my room and slammed the door. I slid down the door until I hit the floor, then covered my face with my hands. I felt the tears begin to form, and for once, let them fall.

What was I going to do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I added some more angst. Don't hate me.


	16. The Solution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren tells Levi what his fate may be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another smut warning. If you aren't a fan of switching, then you can skip it once the smut starts.

Eren didn’t call me last night. I tried texting and calling him, but got no response. I even tried Mikasa, but she was silent as well. What the hell could have happened? When I woke up, I expected to hear at least something from him, but there was nothing.

I contemplated whether I should go over. Grisha would probably be there, though. For the first time, I felt like stranger in their home. Whatever happened couldn’t be good, and if I went over, I had a sinking feeling it would only make it worse.

I picked up my phone one last time. “Please pick up,” I whispered to myself after clicking his contact number.

But after five rings, he didn’t.

I couldn’t take it anymore. Something was wrong, and I’ll be damned if I don’t at least try and fix whatever happened. I grabbed a coat from my room and ran out of the house, bypassing Kenny drinking his coffee as I did.

I shut the door behind me and took a deep breath. I knew this was serious, and it had me beyond nervous. I made the short walk, hands almost shaking as I did. One I was to their home, I climbed the steps and stopped once I reached the door. What would I walk into?

I knocked twice, the feeling foreign. Eren and I never knocked at each other’s homes. I heard feet from behind the door, and it opened to reveal Eren’s father.

“Oh, Levi,” he said simply.

“Hello Dr. Jaeger, “I replied, clearing my throat. “I was wondering if Eren was here?”

He paused, drumming his hands on the door frame. “Ah, yes. I’m not sure he’ll want to see anyone, though.” He looked almost guilty as he said it.

My throat ran dry. “Could I at least go and try?” My voice sounded nothing like my own.

He sighed deeply, then stepped aside. “Sure. And if you manage to see him…can you tell me how he is?”

I studied his features, looking for any signs that he wasn’t being genuine. To my surprise, he appeared as if he was pleading with me. I found myself become angry with him because there was no doubt in my mind he had caused whatever was wrong with Eren. “Fine,” I said.

He nodded his head and let my inside. I didn’t wait for him to tell me to go to Eren before I was stalking to his room. Once again, I felt nervousness run through me. All I had to do was knock. I picked up my hand, and did just that.

“I told you, I need some time, dad,” came Eren’s voice. He sounded different, numb, almost.

“It isn’t your dad,” I replied.

There was a pause. I don’t know if I could take it if Eren turned me away. Not when he so clearly needed someone. My heart stopped when I heard the door unlock. I held my breath until it cracked open, revealing Eren.

He didn’t look good. Bags under his normally bright eyes made me think he had barely slept at all, and the faraway look in his eyes scared me. “Sorry about not returning your calls,” he said flatly.

I stood outside, not knowing if he wanted me to come in. “I was worried,” I admitted. “After yesterday, I didn’t know what happened.”

Guilt flashed over his face. “I just needed time away from everyone.”

I nodded weakly. Part of me wanted to tell him he could have at least texted me he was fine (but he clearly wasn’t), but I knew that would make things worse. “What about now?” I asked quietly.

He turned away from me and ran a hand through his hair. _Please don’t turn me away._

“I want you to stay,” he whispered.

I couldn’t bear to hear him so broken. Without thinking, I came forward and wrapped my arms around him. I didn’t even bother to shut the door. Eren immediately reciprocated, his grip so tight it was like he thought I would leave him.

“I’m so sorry,” he choked out. “I just couldn’t act like everything was fine to you but I couldn’t tell you yet.”

I felt dread run through me at his statement, but I pushed it away for now. Eren needed me. I buried my face in his neck and shook my head. “It’s okay, I understand.”

He clutched at my back and just held me. I didn’t move an inch, letting him do whatever he needed. In another case, I would revel in being so close to him like this. I knew he would tell me what was happening eventually, but I wanted to know. Pushing him didn’t seem like a good choice, though.

“Something’s happened,” he said softly.

I tensed. I pulled back so I could look at him. He looked scared, almost hopeless. I swallowed thickly and let go of him for a moment, shutting the door to his room. He sat down on his bed, and I followed him wordlessly. Once we were beside one another, I threaded my fingers through his. He lightly squeezed my hand. “What’s going on?”

“My dad…he wants us to live together again. Something about making up for lost time.”

I stayed quiet, observing him closely. That didn’t sound like it was would be awful to me, but I could understand why he would be upset. But this devastated? It didn’t make sense. I refrained my replying, assuming there was something more.

Eren fidgeted on the bed. I could tell he was beginning to get angry. “But he says he can’t live here, it reminds him too much of her. So he wants me and Mikasa to move with him to Sina with him.”

My hold on his hand loosened. He was…he was leaving? Eren was going to leave me. That’s why he couldn’t call me and tell me. That’s why he was avoiding me. He was afraid to make it real. I turned away from him, staring down at the floor. I couldn’t think.

“He wants us to leave soon,” he continued. “I wouldn’t even be able to finish the school year.”

I knew I should say something. Something like we would make it work, this wasn’t the end, reassurance of some kind. But all I could think about were the days before Eren and I were together, and how I felt. It was awful. Not being able to touch him, kiss him, lie with him. This would be even worse than that. I hadn’t told him yet, but my plan was to go to college in Trost. I didn’t have any other ideas, so it made sense for a lot of reasons. Eren was of course, one of those reasons.

“He gave me till the end of the week to decide-“

“Decide?” I cut in, letting go of his hand. “You’re _choosing_ to leave?” I asked in disbelief.

He groaned and stood up from the bed abruptly until he was standing in front of me. “I’m not choosing anything! I’m seventeen Levi, what the fuck am I supposed to do? Tell him I won’t? He’ll just make me go anyway. “

I shouldn’t be getting angry at him, but I was. It was the culmination of the fear I felt of him being apart from me, the anger I felt towards his father, and just the fucked up situation that made me yell at him. “There has to be a way! I can’t believe you of all people are going to just let this happen.”

He grabbed his hair and paced back and forth. “You don’t get it,” he snapped. “I don’t want to leave you, Levi. He has the final say in the decision. You didn’t hear how he talked about it. I can’t very well just tell him the main reason I want to stay here is because I’m in love with you.”

“…why not?” I said almost silently.

He froze where he stood. Slowly, he finally looked at me for this first time since I got into his room. He didn’t look angry anymore. Confused, maybe, but not mad. I gulped. Had I really just suggested coming out to his father for my own selfish reasons?

“If…if you told him, maybe he would have a different view on things,” I mumbled. “I love you, Eren, but I can’t let you go so easily. I can’t watch you do something that isn’t good for you just because you think it will make someone else feel better.” I was worried I was crossing a line, but Eren hadn’t spoken up. He was listening intently, still stopped where he stood.

“If you want to leave, then I’ll accept that. We’ll make it work somehow. But I don’t truly believe this is what you _want._ If it’s selfish to want the person you love to be happy, then fuck it- I’m a selfish asshole. So what if we told him? He at least understands love, that’s clear.”

Eren looked contemplative as he slumped against the wall, hands still in his hair. I knew I was putting a lot on him. Inside, I was pleading that he would at least think about it. I didn’t know if it would work. Hell, it could make things worse. But it _could_ work.

“If you don’t want to, I get it-“

“Okay.”

I blinked at him. Had…had he? “What?”

“I’ll do it. I’ll tell him.” He looked determined once again. There was nervousness mixed in there, but nervousness nonetheless. “I don’t know if it will work, but we can try.”

Despite the situation, I felt myself smile. This wasn’t over, not even close, but this was at least a step in the right direction. Eren looked at me and gave his own tiny smile back. He pushed off the wall and came over to me, sitting down once again. This time, he dove in for a kiss. I felt the desperation there. We kissed like it was the last time. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling impossibly close. He pushed me back until my back hit the bed and put his hand in my hair. Our lips pushed against each other with fervor. Eren was the first to pull away, staring down at me with fire in his eyes.

“I refuse to leave you, Levi.”

My lips turned up. “Like I’d ever let you.”

I wrapped my legs around him, then crashed my lips to his again. In that moment, nothing else mattered. We didn’t know if we would be okay, if anything at all would be okay, but it ceased to exist then. In the back of my mind, I knew that even if he did move, things wouldn’t really change. Not with how much we loved one another.

Our kisses became more heated. I felt Eren’s hand running under my shirt, trailing over my chest. “Levi I want…”

I took his face in my hand. “What do you want?” I whispered over his lips.

He looked almost confused, maybe a little nervous as he tugged on the end of my shirt. I leaned forward and kissed him again. “Your dad could hear, you know,” I said, not really caring myself.

That seemed to being him back to reality a bit. “Your place?”

“Kenny’s home,” I gasped out as he leaned down and ran his tongue over my neck.

He sighed against my neck, continuing his treatment. “Then I guess I’ll have to be quiet.”

I frowned. Usually it was me who was loud, not him. At least most of the time. I’d discovered a blow job could turn him into a panting mess, much to my appeal. My confusion was forgotten as he tugged at my ear with his teeth, a spot he knew was sensitive. “Levi,” he whispered, making a shiver run through me. “I want to know what it’s like to have you inside me.”

A wave of arousal crashed over me at his words. I had to bit my lip to suppress a groan at the thought. Fuck, I wasn’t expecting that. It certainly wasn’t unwelcome, though. I’d been thinking about this for a while, but I wanted Eren to be the one to suggest it.

“Will you do that for me, Levi? Will you take me for yourself?” he said sinfully.

As if he even had to ask.

I flipped us over so he was under me, eyes blown wide with lust. This isn’t how I imagined today would go, but I wasn’t disappointed. I kissed him harshly, feeling myself get harder just at the thought of fucking Eren. “If we’re going to do this, we’re doing it right,” I said more seriously.

Eren nodded rapidly, even though he had no idea what I meant. “I’m going to get Kenny out of the house, then I’m going to have to convince your dad to let you leave.”

Eren whined, bucking his hips up against mine. I groaned when his obvious hardness brushed against my own. “I can’t wait,” he panted out, tugging at my shirt, urging me downward.

“I want to be able to hear every sound you make, Eren. Don’t let me miss out on that,” I whispered over his lips.

Finally, he seemed convinced. I reluctantly sat up on the bed and pulled out my phone. Eren was fidgeting on the bed, obviously trying to figure out a way he was going to hide his hard on from his dad.

“I’m going to go tell my dad I’m leaving. I doubt he’ll argue with me,” he said, jumping up from the bed in haste.

I opened my mouth to protest, but shook my head. I had bigger problems, like how the fuck I was going to get Kenny out. I could tell him the truth- as awkward as it would be, I at least knew it would work. I’d rather not, though. I decided a half-truth would work.

“ _Levi?”_ Kenny asked.

“Yeah, I need a favor. Get out of the house for at least an hour.”

“… _Did you finally kill someone?”_

“Dammit Kenny, no! Eren’s dad did some particularly fucked up shit and he needs a place to talk, but I’m not sure he’ll want you to be there.”

I heard noises in the background, and it sounded like Kenny was talking to someone. “What the hell is going on?”

“ _Oh, Eren just walked in. You’re right, he does seem pretty flustered. He ran straight to your room. I’ll get out of your hair,”_ he said in understanding.

Jesus, Eren had practically sprinted to my house. I smirked before thanking Kenny and hanging up. I rushed out of Eren’s room, almost forgetting my last obstacle; Grisha. I stopped once I reached the kitchen and tried to calm my dick before talking to Eren’s dad.

He stepped into view, and as I suspected, stopped me. “Eren just left. I guess he wants to be with you for a while.”

I wanted to just yell that he was better off with me because at least I knew how to love him, but I held my tongue. It wouldn’t help now. “He’s doing better,” I said honestly.

Grisha nodded absentmindedly. “Thank you, Levi.”

“I should get to him,” I said hurriedly. Without waiting for an answer, I walked away from the man, and out the door.

Eren was waiting for me, after all.

As I fast walked back to my house, I saw that Kenny’s car was gone. That was very good. This was almost as nerve wracking as the first time we had sex. What if I wasn’t good enough for Eren? I had no experience in topping. I hadn’t even fingered the damn brat yet. It couldn’t be _that_ difficult.

I opened the door to my house and shut the door, locking it behind me. I threw off my shoes and coat, nearly tripping as I walked up the stairs to my room. The door was shut, but I didn’t bother knocking, instead opening it and walking in.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.

Eren was apparently too eager to wait for me. There he was, completely naked and propped up on all fours, with two fingers thrusting in and out of his perfect ass while his other hand pumped his leaking member. My mouth ran dry at the obscene sight. When he heard the door, his eyes flicked to mine, and he gave me a lazy grin.

“A-about time,” he rasped out, continuing to slide his fingers in and out of his hole. “Couldn’t wait,” he offered an as explanation.

I didn’t take my eyes off of him as I shut the door and stalked over to him, throwing off my shirt in the process. All my previous doubts had vanished once I saw him like this. Needy, responsive, and all because he was waiting for me. I climbed onto the bed behind him, nearly moaning at the sight. He dropped his head, but didn’t stop preparing himself even as I watched his fingers disappear into his ass. I gripped his wrist, pushing them in even farther, making him let out a wrecked moan.

“O-oh _god_ ,” he cried.

I gripped one of his plump cheeks with my free hand, massaging it roughly. I felt myself straining in my pants and wondered how long I would last before giving in and fucking him without abandon. But I knew Eren had never actually bottomed before, so I would try and give him time.

“You need another finger,” I murmured, continuing to guide his wrist.

He was panting hard now. “Y-yours.”

I swallowed, letting go of his wrist. While he kept up the motion with his own fingers, I slid my index finger by them, and slowly pushed it in as well. Eren whined, while I groaned. He was so fucking warm and tight; I could only imagine what it would be like to be inside him.

“Fuck,” I whispered, pumping the digit in and out like Eren had done to me so many times before. Eren was nearly shaking now, his fingers desperately searching for his prostate while his other hand loosely fisted at his cock.

As I pushed my finger in and crooked it slightly, I was rewarded with the most erotic moan I had ever heard. Eren threw his head back, grinding himself on my finger as I found his prostate. “Fuck, _fuck_! I- I can’t, I can’t-“

I reached around Eren quickly and removed his hand from his cock, gripping the base. He made a broken noise from the back of his throat, then whipped his head around.

“Please Levi,” he pleaded. “I’m ready.”

I nodded, removing my finger from him. He did as well, now on all fours. He didn’t seem to complain about the position, and I knew it would be easiest for the first time, so I kept him that way as I unzipped my pants and got out of them. I threw off my underwear as well. “Lube and condoms?” I asked.

He pointed lazily to the left of us, and I saw he had already set them out. How he found them in my room so quickly was something I would never know. I knew he had used a generous amount of lube already to prepare himself, but I wanted this to be as comfortable for him as possible. Sliding the condom on, I coated myself, then stopped. “Are you sure, Eren?”

He growled, then nodded feverishly. “If you don’t fuck me in the next five minutes, I’m doing it myself.”

I laughed dryly, lining myself up with his twitching hole. I slowly pushed in, unable to hold in the moan I let lose as soon as I pushed the head in. _Fuck_ , this was incredible. I’d never been on the other end of sex, and it was mind numbingly good. I managed to keep myself from plunging into his tight heat, knowing he had to be uncomfortable. I inched my way in, listening for any signs of protest from Eren, while struggling not to blow my load right then and there. Finally, I was completely inside him.

“H-how are you?” I managed to ask.

“It hurts,” he said quietly, looking at me. “But it’s a good hurt. I-I’ve never felt so full.”

“You feel amazing, Eren,” I praised, feeling my dick throb within him. I knew the pain would eventually dull, and if I didn’t completely fuck this up, change into something much better. I didn’t want to rush him, but if I didn’t start moving soon, I was sure I was going to explode. “Can I move?”

He wiggled his hips a bit, then taking his lower lip in his teeth, nodded. “Move.”

I let out a breath, pulling out of him about halfway. I slowly pushed back in, grabbing his hips to help steady myself. I did it a few more times, and hearing no protest from Eren, I pulled all the way out, then thrust back in more roughly. He was so warm, tight- _shit_ \- I wasn’t going to last long at all.

“A-again,” he called out, gripping at the sheets with his fingers.

I obliged him, moving in and out of him, slowly losing myself to the feeling. I felt connected to him like I never had before- he was letting me have him in the most intimate way possible, like no one else had. My forehead landed on his back as I molded my body to his, continuing the movements with my hips. I was panting hard, unable to stop myself from moaning out his name.

I didn’t want myself to be the only one experiencing bliss, so I angled myself differently, seeking Eren’s prostate. After a few experimental thrusts, he almost fell onto the bed, letting out a high pitched whine. I smirked against his back, grinding into that spot again. “Ahh- Levi!”

Just hearing his desperate voice calling out my name was almost enough for me to cum. I kept fucking into him, getting harder now, but not so much I thought I’d hurt him. From the way he was moaning, I don’t think he’d care if I did, though. I felt the heat in my abdomen began to build, warning me of my climax. I didn’t want this to be over, never really did when it came to being with Eren. Even then, in a moment of pure ecstasy, the thought of him leaving me was there. I growled, upset with myself that I could let something ruin this, and pulled out of him abruptly.

He turned around with glazed eyes, limbs almost shaking. “What…fuck, I was close!” he whined. I smiled weakly, then flipped him so he was on his back. He fell against the bed with a small noise as I crawled over him.

“Sorry, love. Want to see your face.”

He smiled at me, nodding. I lifted his hips up gently, then positioning myself back over his entrance. I went in smoothly, and it almost felt better than the first time. This way, being able to watch as his eyebrows furrowed and his bottom lip was tugged into his mouth, was already so much better. I leaned down until our bodies were almost touching, and even though it wasn’t the most practical of positions, I needed it. Needed him close enough to me so I knew he wouldn’t go anywhere. I started moving again, shallow thrusts that grazed up against his prostate just slightly each time. We weren’t fucking anymore.

“Eren…I love you,” I managed to get out, cupping his face with my hand.

His mouth was open and making little gasping noises every time I thrust, but he seemed to come to his senses enough to reply. “M-me too, Levi. Fuck!- Ah, so much, so-“ he was cut off as I reached down in between us and took his cock in my hand. I stroked him in time with my thrusts, making him arch into me and throw his arms around me. I felt his nails dig into my back, but I almost hoped he left marks.

“You- _shit_ \- aren’t going to leave me,” I cried out, rapidly feeling my climax coming.

He only held me tighter, shaking his head rapidly. “N-never. Oh god, Levi!”

We came at almost the exact same time, each calling out the other’s name as we did. I stroked Eren through his orgasm, while lightly biting into his neck to ride out my own. He was keening and moaning, cumming harder than I ever had seen him before.

I laid my head on his shoulder while I tried to get my breathing back too normal. The grip on my back slowly lessened until Eren’s arms fell to his sides. I looked up at him and couldn’t help feeling a bit smug at his fucked out expression. I smiled, then slowly pulled out of him, tying off the condom. I barely had time to clean off his stomach before he was pulling me back on top of him, where I gladly stayed.

“I got you,” I said, stroking his hair out of his face. He nodded, snuggling up against me.

“Promise me something Levi,” he said, voice rough.

“Anything.”

He blinked his eyes open, teal blue staring back at me. “Promise me that even if I have to move to Sina you won’t give up on this.”

I continued to move my hand through his hair, shaking my head. “I’ll never give up on this, Eren. There’s no one else for me.”

He grinned lazily and nodded his head. “Good. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Levi.”

It’s a good thing he started to drift off to sleep because I didn’t have a response to that one. My stomach was filled with what I could only describe were butterflies. Even after all this time with him, even after just having sex with him, he could still make me into a nervous teenager.

No- Eren wasn’t going anywhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I've finalized the number of chapters guys. Only two more, which is both sad but also amazing. There won't be an update next week because of the holidays but it will come in two weeks! Thanks to everyone who has continued to read!


	17. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi go through with their plan.

Chapter eighteen

“My ass hurts.”

I chuckled, rolling over and looking over at Eren. He had spent the night, most likely without alerting his father, and we had made love more times than I could recall. I took him again, and later we had switched. It was like we thought this was our last time together and we had to make the best of it.

“You were the one who kept asking for another round. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kenny heard you,” I said, brushing the hair out of his eyes.

He smiled and shook his head. “I better not eat breakfast here, then. Might be a little awkward.”

“At least he didn’t hand you a packet of condoms without making eye contact.”

Eren laughed mindlessly, scooting closer to me. We were quiet for a while, and I felt the atmosphere begin to change. We couldn’t just forget about what was going on. Eren sighed from beside me. “Are we going to do this today?”

I shrugged against him. We had less than a week to tell his father, and I wasn’t exactly keen on doing it early, but what choice did we have? “If you’re ready for that.”

He shuffled around nervously. “Sonner the better, yeah?”

I wasn’t so sure about that, but I didn’t want to correct him. I nodded silently, kissing the top of his head. Most if the time, I had pretty good instincts on how a situation would go, at least enough to know if I was making a horrible mistake or not. But today, I had no idea.

“Should I tell Mikasa to be there?” he asked. “Maybe she would even bring Annie.”

I hadn’t even considered the fact that she was in the same situation Eren was. “It couldn’t hurt. You can call her and fill her in if you want.”

Eren nodded, slowly getting up from the bed to get his phone. I couldn’t help but stare as he stood up still completely naked. If someone had told me four months ago that I would be waking up and being able to stare at Eren’s Jaeger’s bare ass, I would have scoffed.

I listened to him explain the situation to his sister. I hadn’t exactly heard what her reaction was to the whole situation, but I doubted she wanted it any more than Eren. It seemed like she agreed with our plan if Eren’s small smile was an indicator. He hung up, then came over and sat back on the bed.

“She wants to be there, too. She thinks it’s a good idea.”

I nodded. The more the better, I suppose. “Is she at Annie’s?”

“Yeah. She is on her way now, though. She can’t bring Annie just yet. She hasn’t come out to her family.”

I silently thought that may be good for now. I wasn’t sure if Grisha was going to handle his son dating a man well, let alone both of his children not being straight. “Alright. Better get ready.”

We got dressed in silence. There was a tenseness in the room which I knew wasn’t either of our fault’s, but it was impossible to be relaxed. After we deemed ourselves presentable, I took his hand, and we walked out of my room. “Just so you know, “I began, “if things get really bad, you can always stay here for a while.”

He nodded as we walked down the steps. “Thanks, but I don’t think it will get to that point. At least I hope it doesn’t.”

We walked through the kitchen, both relieved Kenny was nowhere in sight. Either he had left already, or was avoiding us. I didn’t really want to know either way. Eren and I got our shoes on and locked the door behind us. We walked hand in hand the small distance to his house. I saw Mikasa sitting at the bottom of the steps. She looked up as we got closer to her. It wasn’t often she showed emotion, but I could see she was nervous.

“You’re really going through with this?” she asked.

“I don’t think it could hurt at this point,” Eren offered with a shrug.

She sighed deeply, then stood up. She put her hands on her pockets of her jeans, and nodded. “Let’s do this.”

I smiled slightly at her as we all went up to the Jaeger’s house.

Eren went in first, me after him. I let go of his hand as Mikasa came into view as well. She closed the door. We saw Grisha sitting at the kitchen island, mug in hand.

“I didn’t know where you two were,” he mumbled, but didn’t seem to be upset with them. “I guess you’re not used to having to tell someone when you won’t be coming home. I’m glad you’re back.”

I felt Eren stiffen beside me. I wanted to take his hand again, but wasn’t sure how he wanted to do this. “You think we could talk, Dad?” he asked.

Grisha looked up, a bit of hope in his eye. “Sure. With…with all of you?” He clearly meant me, even if he wouldn’t say it.

“Yeah. Levi actually has something to do with this.”

He nodded, standing up and walking over to the living room. “Then let’s sit.”

Eren and Mikasa nodded, following him. I kept close to Eren as he slowly sat down on the couch, across from the seat Grisha had taken. Mikasa sat beside us on another chair. It was quiet, awkwardly so. I don’t think any of us knew how to say what we had intended to.

“Well…guess I’ll start,” Eren mumbled unenthusiastically.

Grisha sat, waiting attentively.

“Dad I’ve made my decision. Mikasa agrees with me, and we can’t leave.”

The words hung in the air, only causing the tension to grow. I hadn’t expected to just come out and say it quite like that. I risked looking up to see what Grisha’s expression was doing. Oddly enough, he didn’t look surprised. I guess Eren had already insinuated this before.

“Eren-“

“Wait,” he said, cutting him off. “I think you need to know why I can’t go.”

Grisha closed his mouth, nodding. He was obviously curious. My heart began to beat faster. This wasn’t even about me, but I had a sinking feeling that Eren wouldn’t be able to get through to him. None of us knew what his viewpoint on this sort of relationship was.

“I think I told you at dinner that Mikasa and I have a family here. Armin, along with everyone else. But it’s different than just family. Dad…” he shook his head, not knowing how to continue. I wasn’t disappointed that he was having trouble. This was an insane task to ask of him. Without thinking, I slid my hand over his, holding it tightly. It didn’t go unnoticed by his father, but he didn’t speak. Eren looked over at me, a faint smile crossing over his lips.

“Okay, I’ll just say it. Dad, I’m dating Levi. But more than that, I’m in love with him.”

I thought for sure this is where his father would react, maybe interrupt, but he only looked at us, an unreadable expression on his face. Eren continued.

“I know we’re young, and so many things could go wrong. It’s just, I can’t leave him right now. I can’t look back and wish I had stayed, wish I would have tried harder, when I know how I feel about him isn’t going to change. He’s not just my boyfriend, he’s my best friend. That isn’t something I can lose right now, or ever.”

I felt my throat constrict as he finished. Fuck, I never knew he felt that way. I knew he loved me, and I knew how deep our friendship was, but I didn’t know I meant that much to him. I blinked my eyes a few times to make sure I wasn’t crying. I had never felt stronger for him than in that moment. So much so, I forget we weren’t along.

“Eren I never knew you were…” he cleared his throat, motioning to our joined hands. I heard Mikasa snort in the distance.

“You were the only one,” she said in a monotone.

“You’re not helping,” Eren grumbled.

“How long have you two been dating?” Grisha asked, more calmly than any of us had been expecting.

“A few months now, but we’ve felt this way for a long time.”

He nodded, taking in all his son’s new information. He looked a bit disorganized, but not angry. I exchanged a glance with Eren who looked just as confused as I was.

“And Levi, you feel the same?”

I perked up at the mention of my name. I scoffed lightly. “I do. For a long time, I tried to hide it, thinking Eren wouldn’t accept my feelings. When I did tell him, it was easily the best decision of my life.”

I felt Eren squeeze my hand tighter. It was strange admitting all of this to basically a complete stranger, but not exactly strange in a bad way. It was freeing, almost. I heard Grisha take a deep breath, running his hands over his legs.

“I expected you to refuse my offer, but this isn’t something I anticipated,” he said with a chuckle. “You know I don’t disapprove of you two, right?”

Eren and I once again looked at each other. The consensus of our thoughts was no, we definitely didn’t know that. “Y-you don’t?” Eren asked quietly.

Grisha nodded. “Of course. Who you date doesn’t bother me. And I can see you two clearly care about one another.”

I swallowed deeply. Even though we hadn’t gotten an answer to the question of moving, I felt a wave of relief. He wasn’t going to disown Eren or make a huge deal out of this part of his life, at least. I saw a tiny smile on Eren’s face, making me think he felt the same.

“Eren, Mikasa, I know you two don’t want to move. But the fact that I didn’t even know my own son was dating someone, a man at that, and he’s in love with him shows how much I need to be close to you two. “

“You’re seriously still considering this?” Mikasa asked harshly. “With all the things we’ve told you, you still want us to leave?”

Eren didn’t interrupt Mikasa this time, looking at his father coldly.

Grisha sighed deeply. “No, no I see that won’t be best for you anymore.”

All three of us flicked our eyes up rapidly. Had he really just said that? We looked at one another, shock written all over our faces. There had to be some sort of catch, some reason he was giving up on his idea without much of a fight. “What does that mean?” Eren asked.

Grisha sat up, a small smile on his face. “About midnight last night when neither of you came home, I realized I had screwed up. I told myself that it was for your own good, but it was for my own. I planned on telling you this today, and then letting you decide. But it’s clear I don’t have any right to uproot your lives. I do have another idea, though.”

“And what would that be?” Mikasa asked carefully.

“You two know I can’t live here, but I saw a few “for-sale” signs as I drove in a few days ago in a smaller neighborhood. It would be a new start.”

I slowly took in Eren’s reaction. This was his home, where he grew up, and where he spent time with his mother. It would be a hard decision, but I felt like I already knew what he would ultimately end up doing.

Mikasa cleared her throat. “I planned on living on campus at Trost, so this is really Eren’s choice.”

Eren smiled sadly. “I have a lot of memories here. Some I’ll never forget. But it is just a house. I don’t mind sacrificing it if it means we get to try and be a family again, Dad.”

And at his statement, the tension in the room finally dissipated. I couldn’t help but smile, pulling Eren closer to me. I wouldn’t have to watch him leave. He wouldn’t go off and forget about me, or find someone else. He smiled back, wrapping his arms around me. I heard Mikasa laugh from beside us, along with Grisha.

Nothing stood in our way anymore. Sure I would go to college, but that would only be thirty minutes away from Eren. And in the future, maybe we would have even harder obstacles. More likely, we _will_. But in that moment, we were content just to hold each other. We didn’t have to think about the future, or even the past.

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had more than a chance with Eren Jaeger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this was so short but the last chapter is going to be longer and go through a lot of time skips so I couldn't find a better place to end it. I can't believe were almost done! It should be up within the next few weeks. Thanks to everyone!

**Author's Note:**

> Updates should be weekly and expect this to be a long one. Hope you enjoyed!


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